Scott Seymour, Aerojet President

“Huntsville is an important location for our DoD, NASA and industry customers,” said Scott Seymour, Aerojet President and GenCorp President & CEO. “Growing Aerojet’s technical capabilities in Huntsville will allow us to better serve our customers and expand Aerojet’s business base.”

Don Nalley, Chair of the Board of Directors, Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, praised the company for investing in the Huntsville community. Continue »

(R to L) Rick Davis, Director of Cummings Research Park; CDL Systems CTO and Co-Founder Albert Sulmistras; Patrick Laney, CDL Managing Director of U.S. Operations; Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle

Company officials say the new U.S. presence establishes local support to the Army's UAS Project Office. CDL’s VCS software is installed in every U.S. Army One System Ground Control Station (OSGCS) and has accumulated more than 750,000 flight hours operating the RQ-7B Shadow, MQ-5B Hunter and MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAS platforms.

Patrick Laney, Managing Director of U.S. Operations, commented that the move to Huntsville is important for the company because it will allow CDL Systems to better support the Army warfighter. “This is a special occasion for us. Our company takes great pride in developing a quality product, and we believe this new office will make that product even better for the U.S. Army ,” Laney said.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle welcomed the company to Huntsville and cited the community’s strong federal presence and workforce as assets for the company.

“You are adding to our center of excellence here in Huntsville. You are in a place that makes for excellence in software engineering, and puts you closer to your customer.”

Don Nalley, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County; Doug Johnson, URS Federal Services Vice President of Aerospace Services; Randy Wotring, president of Federal Services of URS; Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle

URS provides complete administrative, management, operations and logistics support for the Marshall Space Flight Center. NASA missions supported include the International Space Station; Space Shuttle and advanced propulsion technologies; the U.S. Space and Rocket Center; optics technology; and continuing solar system research and exploration. Operations support involves maintenance and repair of 241 buildings and structures (totaling 4.6 million square feet) — from large test stands to major office complexes, warehouses and wind tunnels.

Don Nalley, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, said having URS invest in Huntsville is important to the promotion of Huntsville as a high-tech city.

“URS is a company whose success and investment in Huntsville has greatly enhancing this community’s image as a leading technology hub with innovation and technical expertise in support of our nation’s aerospace and defense efforts,” Nalley said.

While primarily known for its work with NASA, URS supports many Department of Defense agencies as well. Continue »

Dr. Marc Bendickson, CEO of Dynetics, and Don Nalley, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County.

Chamber Board Chair Don Nalley, Dynetics CEO Marc Bendickson, Dynetics president Tom Baumbach and Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle officially break ground on Dynetics’ new facility in Cummings Research Park.

Don Nalley, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County’s Board of Directors, said the announcement will have a positive impact on more than just Huntsville.

“This is an incredible investment in Huntsville and Madison County that will benefit our region and, in fact, all of Alabama. It is the kind of project that gets attention across the nation and the world, and initiated by a home-grown company at a time when some are reeling from unemployment. It is a pleasure to be in a community where companies continue to invest,” Nalley said. Continue »

Scott Davis, President, Chugach World Services; Chip Pepper, Manager of Construction, Chugach Alaska Corporation; Wayne Ecker, Operations Manager, Chugach Management Services; Don Nalley Chair of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; Barney Uhart, President, Chugach Alaska Corporation; Mayor Tommy Battle; Dan Fenza, President, Chugach Federal Solutions

The Chugach family of companies currently employs more than 5,500 people worldwide and maintains regional offices in Washington D.C., Honolulu, and now Huntsville. Of these 5,500 employees, more than 400 of them are employed locally at Redstone Arsenal with the Army and NASA’s Marshall Space Center.

“Over the past 17 years, the construction industry has brought over a billion dollars in revenue, a third of which has been in federal contracts. Huntsville will be our center of excellence for construction work now. We expect to continue to grow here,” Barney Uhart, Chugach president, said. Continue »

Mayor Tommy Battle; Ken Shannon, i3 CFO; Walter Strankam, i3 executive vice president of operations; Mike Wicks, i3 CEO; Joseph Summers, executive vice president of corporate development; Ron Poteat, secretary/treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors.

Since its founding in 2007 with one employee, the company has quickly grown. The company’s first subcontract was to provide services for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. By the end of 2008, i3 was at 18 employees. In 2009, the company experienced a surge by increasing its workforce to 120 employees. The company has continued it growth and today has more than 250 employees, with revenues of more than $50 million.

The company’s client base has also grown and diversified to include various programs with the U.S. Army, Navy, and the Air Force, among others.

“This company has become a huge success story in a community that has become one of our nation’s greatest economic success stories,” said Ron Poteat, secretary/treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors.

Michael Wicks, CEO of i3, said Huntsville is the best place he could have started a business.

“There really is no better place to start a business than in Huntsville. We get tickled every time we an article in Forbes featuring Huntsville. All of our growth is becaue we do the little things right,” Wicks said.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle congratulated the company on its growth and lauded the company as an example of Huntsville growth as a community.

“You really have to realize the economic impact companies such as this have.It really contributes to the economic engine of this state,” Battle said.

Gov. Bob Riley

Dr. Marc Bendickson, Dynetics CEO

This facility will expand Dynetics’ capabilities in research and development and production for aerospace, defense and cyber products. It will be a high-tech design, development and prototyping facility, incorporating the latest resources available to produce quality products rapidly and affordably for both commercial and government customers.

In addition, it will provide space for the company’s hardware integration; specialty item production; space systems work (including satellite integration); and specialized systems, subsystems and tools development. Continue »

Ben Curry and Scott Edwards of Summit 7 Systems receive a plaque from Charlie Kettle, chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, commemorating the opening of Summit 7’s new office in Cummings Research Park.

Originally founded in Minneapolis, Summit 7 Systems relocated to Huntsville in 2009 and continues to expanding its business of providing business intelligence management solutions to a variety of customers. The staff have authored several publications on the Microsoft business platform, and have been acknowledged by Microsoft (and throughout the industry) as experts in collaboration systems.

Charlie Kettle, chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors said he thinks Summit 7’s success mirrors that of the community.

“Summit 7 Systems is an excellent example of how our community is performing – here we have bright and talented entrepreneurs who have selected this community – from many across the country, to grow their business,” Kettle said.

Scott Edwards, president and managing partner, said that he is amazed at the community and that the company is able to draw top talent, many of whom are experts in their field.

“The things going on in Huntsville are amazing. People are wanting to come down here and work for Summit 7,” Edwards said.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle congratulated the company on its growth.

“You are in for a big adventure. You are sitting in one of the world’s great centers of excellence. We have the best and brightest in Huntsville and that makes us a special place. This is an example of our future,” Battle said.

Don Nalley, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors; Rex Reynolds, City of Huntsville City Administrator; and Madison Mayor Paul Finley, join senior staff of IBA in cutting the ribbon for its growth in Huntsville.

IBA is a woman–owned professional and technical services firm providing program management and advanced technology solutions to government and commercial clients. IBA delivers program management and technical solutions to more than 40 program offices in the federal sector including the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Interior.

IBA expanded to Huntsville last summer with a specific focus on broadening the delivery of technology and management solutions to Huntsville’s defense community. So far, the new office has been promising, resulting in new business opportunities in the Tennessee Valley, according to the company. Work in Huntsville includes joining contracts for the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command AMCOM EXPRESS contract, a contract that provides comprehensive management and support services to numerous Army facilities and groups. Continue »

Charlie Kettle, Chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County and City Councilman Richard Showers join MJLM executives in the opening of its new facility in Huntsville.

MJLM Engineering & Technical Services in Huntsville provides life-cycle solutions and a foundation for long-term technical support services. Officials with the company say the business unit is poised for growth in the logistics, support, sustainment, and fabrication service areas, as well as growth in design services.

MJLM provides engineering and technical support to its Close Combat Weapon System (CCWS) customer. This contract consists of 29 employees that work full-time to support the Warfighter.

Charlie Kettle, Chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors said that diverse companies such as MJLM are reasons for the success of the community.

“We have a diverse industry base that has helped the Huntsville economy stay strong in these challenging times. We are here today to celebrate a company that is succeeding in tough times by offering a variety of services, and well I might add. The facility we are having the grand opening for today is representative of that,” Kettle said.

“This is a great day for us as a company. In 2001, we wanted to explore opportunities to provide engineering services. We started with one employee then, and now we have grown to 84. According to our strategic plan over the next three to five years we should have 250 to 300 employees here. We think we have a good shot getting there,” said Odysseus Lanier, partner and director of MJLM Engineering and Technical Services Federal Sector.

“This is a great hour for Huntsville, Team Redstone and our soldiers. Huntsville is going to be the beneficiary of this company,” said City Councilman Richard Showers.

(left to right) Jim Bolte, vice chair for economic development for the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors; 5 Stones Research Co-founders Joni (CEO) and Tony Green; Steve Willhelm, president of 5 Stones Research

“Opening this office is so exciting,” said Joni Green, CEO of 5 Stones. “This is a major milestone we’ve achieved,” she said.

Jim Bolte, vice chair of economic development of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, said that it is inspiring that small businesses continue to thrive in Huntsville.

“It is fitting that we are here today cutting a ribbon for this small business because just this week we held the 25th Annual Small Business Awards Celebration. It truly is inspiring to see the community’s small businesses such as 5 Stones continue to grow in Huntsville,” said Bolte.

Steve Willhelm, 5 Stones president and recently retired program manager for JLENS (Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor), said that after 25 years in uniform, it is special to continue to serve soldiers as a civilian.

“I used to say, at events like this, ‘Today is a good day to be a soldier.’ Now I say, ‘Today is a good day to work for a soldier.’ After spending 25 years in uniform, it is special to see what we do here,” Willhelm said.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Steve Anderson, Mercury Computer Systems vice president of product operations; Bill Ceccherini, general manager of the Echotek Product Group; Mark Aslett, Mercury Computer System CEO; Charlie Kettle, chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors.

The company provides embedded computing systems and software that combine image, signal, and sensor processing with information management for data-intensive applications. Mercury serves a broad range of industries that include aerospace and defense, homeland security, telecommunications, and other computationally challenging commercial markets.

The new manufacturing lines will allow the company to grow its production capabilities significantly. In 2008, the company was able to complete 3,315 individual units, 6,290 units in 2009, and in 2010 will likely surpass last year's mark. Continue »

(left to right)City of Huntsville director of economic development Joe Vallely, MicroTech CEO Tony Jimenez, Charlie Kettle, chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors

MicroTech provides systems integration, technology solutions, and unified communications and collaboration to the Department of Defense and key civilian agencies. MicroTech is also responsible for managing more than a half-million tech users each day.

Tony Jimenez, CEO of MicroTech, said Huntsville is an important location for the company as it continues its growth.

Charlie Kettle, chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, said that companies such as MicroTech lead to community recognitions.

“The Huntsville/Madison County community has enjoyed its share of number one rankings over the past two years. And it’s because of the success of companies such as MicroTech that has made these recognitions possible,” Kettle said.

Ground was recently broken for Nektar Therapeutics’ plant expansion. (click photo to enlarge)

Nektar develops novel medicines to treat cancer, as well as new painkillers and other therapies to address serious diseases and medical needs based upon technology that it develops in Huntsville. The company also partners with the top biopharmaceutical companies such as Bayer, AstraZeneca and Baxter, to bring new products to market.

The plant expansion is an important component of the company’s continued growth. It will allow the company to manufacture key raw material components used in its products on location adjacent to its existing manufacturing operations, as opposed to relying only on an external supply chain. Continue »

Mayor Tommy Battle discusses the importance of the Raytheon announcement at a special media briefing.

Artist rendering of Raytheon’s newly announced 70,000 square-foot manufacturing facility on Redstone Arsenal. (click photo to enlarge)

Raytheon will use the factory for final assembly and testing of Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) and Standard Missile-6 (SM-6). SM-3 production is expected to increase substantially in the next 10 years, and SM-6 production is expected to begin in 2010.

“Raytheon’s SM-3 is the centerpiece of the nation’s new missile defense strategy, and SM-6 will give the U.S. Navy a new, much-needed weapon system,” said Dr. Taylor W. Lawrence, Raytheon Missile Systems president. “Combining SM-3 and SM-6 manufacturing into one facility will enable Raytheon to increase productivity and efficiency. The company will leverage state-of-the-art automation to enhance quality and safety and deliver lower-cost products to the Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Navy customers.”

The 70,000-square-foot production facility will be constructed in two phases; each phase will be tied to SM-3 and SM-6 production contracts. Groundbreaking is expected later this year. Continue »

Jerry Van Auken, president of Norris Cylinder, David Wathen, President and CEO of TriMas and Don Nalley, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce celebrate the acquisition of Taylor Wharton. (click photo to enlarge)

Norris Cylinder, part of the publicly traded TriMas Corporation, is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of high-pressure and low-pressure gas cylinders for storage, transportation and dispensing of compressed industrial gases. Norris plans to move a product line from its California plant to Huntsville, which could lead to the company adding employees to take on new work, company officials say.

Jerry Van Auken, president of Norris Cylinder, said that he and his team are committed to the Huntsville plant and see many similarities between the Huntsville plant and its headquarters in Longview, Texas. Continue »

“With a recognizable footprint in the federal market, innovative solutions capabilities and a global network of technicians, the new office allows SGS to continue to meet the increased requirements for building automation, energy management, and integrated security solutions for CEHNC projects”, said Rick Gonder, Vice President of SGS’ Security and Infrastructure Practice.

As the need for Siemens’ products and services continue to grow, the company anticipates so too, will its physical presence in this geographic region. According to Harry Feuerstein, SGS’ President and CEO, “We are quite pleased to continue develop our Program Management Office in Huntsville, directly in support of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s efforts. The establishment of this new office clearly signifies our continued investment to provide more focused support and dedicated personnel to the Corps of Engineers; while ultimately helping to stimulate local job creation within the Huntsville area.”

Upon closing of the transaction, Intergraph will operate as a separate Hexagon division under the Intergraph name and branding. Intergraph will become Hexagon’s core software platform and will continue to provide differentiated and vertically-focused software solutions to its core industries. Intergraph software will also be integrated into Hexagon’s existing measurement and precision technology system markets to provide a visual presentation layer for the management, analysis and sharing of the vast amounts of critical data produced by these products.

“Intergraph remains deeply committed to our customers and markets in which we serve and are pleased to join the Hexagon Group. We believe the significant global resources and technologies of Hexagon will allow us to further invest in our customers, software solutions, people and future,” said R. Halsey Wise, Intergraph chairman, president and CEO. “This transaction is a tribute to the more than 4,000 Intergraph employees worldwide whose determination and dedication to our modern growth mission and to our customers have made our business and operational success possible.”

"The acquisition of Intergraph to become Hexagon’s core software platform provides excellent growth prospects and synergies within our portfolio of measurement technologies and is fundamental to our company’s growth strategy,” said Ola Rollén, CEO and president of Hexagon AB. “We believe Intergraph will significantly expand our addressable market opportunity, creating additional shareholder and customer value through the addition of a well-known and complementary software company.”

Don Nalley, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, presents Alicia Ryan, LSINC CEO, a commemorative plaque at the company’s ribbon cutting ceremony.

LSINC is a woman-owned small business that provides senior leaders with strategic leadership consulting and business intelligence through research and analysis, expert data fusion, synchronization of missions and strategies, and business development consulting.

Alicia Ryan, CEO of LSINC, said that Huntsville was the right place for her to start a business. She began LSINC because there were not many positions for consultants at the time. Continue »

Don Nalley, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors presents a plaque to Lamar Jackson, Bibliotheca president/CEO for North America. (click to enlarge.)

Bibliotheca RFID Library Systems specializes in developing, producing and marketing software and hardware for automation, inventory taking and control, and media security in libraries. Bibliotheca has installed almost 400 projects, positioning it as the European market leader and number two in the world.

RFID is short for radio frequency identification, an advanced technology that uses radio waves to identify and communicate data. RFID is gaining increasing significance in various industries as an alternative to the barcode. Especially in logistics, production and retailing, RFID facilitates the automation of processes and the movement of goods, thereby increasing productivity and security by substantial measure. Continue »

An artist’s rendering of UAHuntsville’s Center for System Studies. (click to enlarge.)

The new Center for System Studies will involve groundbreaking research into complex engineering systems, which include smart power grids, space launch vehicles, robotics, aviation systems and missile defense, to name a few. The center’s focus will involve understanding how complex systems interact and developing engineered solutions to system problems.

Plans call for the Center for System Studies to be a three-phrase project that will include research labs, training space, classrooms and a rooftop experiment area. Phase One of the project will be about 60,000 square feet. When fully completed, the center will occupy approximately 160,000 square feet. Continue »

Sheila Cummings, founder and CEO of Cummings Aerospace, cuts the ribbon to celebrate the opening of Cummings Aerospace’s new office in CRP. (Click photo to enlarge)

Cummings specializes in systems engineering, software engineering, test engineering and program management for the Department of Defense. In addition to its growth in Huntsville, the company has recently opened an office in Orlando.

Sheila Cummings, the founder and CEO of Cummings Aerospace, said that recent contract wins and the hiring of key employees are reasons why the company has grown. She said that Cummings plans to continue growing its presence in Huntsville.

“Since our first month of business, it has been a whirlwind. We have been busy cultivating business partnerships with small and large businesses. We look forward to a bright future and being a part of the growth of Huntsville,” said Cummings.

Don Nalley, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, said that companies such as Cummings are the reasons why the community earns accolades from some of the most respected finance publications in the U.S. and the world.

“Cummings’ expansion and the need for this new office space in Research Park is truly representative of the kind of economic growth that has earned this community numerous accolades such as Forbes, which named us No. 8 in Best Places for Business and Careers,” Nalley said.

Boecore, a Colorado-based engineering company, recently celebrated the opening of its Huntsville office. (click photo to enlarge)

Since its inception in 2000, Boecore has grown to a workforce totaling more than 100 employees who support a variety of defense and commercial customers in several core technical disciplines including systems engineering, network engineering, information assurance, software development and maintenance. Boecore customers range from international defense and commercial companies to small- and medium-sized engineering firms.

Ron Poteat, secretary/treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, said that the Boecore’s growth in Huntsville is representative of the growth the Huntsville area is experiencing.

“Boecore’s expansion into the Huntsville area represents the kind of growth that has this community leading the state and illustrates why our local economy is leading the nation,” said Poteat.

Bob Woods, Boecore’s Vice President of the East Region, said that he expects the company to grow its presence in Huntsville.

CSC recently held a ribbon cutting for its new office in Cummings Research Park. (click photo to enlarge)

Randy Cash, Vice President and General Manager of CSC in Huntsville, said that the company has made several changes in Huntsville, and the new building is just one of many.

“We have made significant changes in Huntsville. We brought together industry leaders from across the country to provide new leadership and a new vision for our Huntsville team. We integrated our organization to provide multi-functional teams focused on each client’s unique requirements. And, we built this fantastic, new world-class facility that allows us to be closer to our customers and partners,” Cash said.

Continue »

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle discusses the importance of Redstone Gateway, a 468-acre office and retail development located at Gate 9 of Redstone Arsenal. (Click photo to enlarge.)

Redstone Gateway is a 468-acre land parcel adjacent to Redstone Arsenal. The land is owned by the U.S. Government and is under a long-term master lease to the developers through the Enhanced Use Lease (EUL) program. Through this master lease, the joint venture will work closely with Redstone Arsenal to create a business park that will total approximately 4.6 million square feet of office and retail space when completed. In addition, the business park will include hotel amenities. Approximately 4.4 million square feet of Class A office space will be built in three phases, with three to six story buildings containing 80,000 to 165,000 square feet, of which 1.2 million square feet will be secured office space. Continue »

(Left to Right) Jeremiah Knight, vice chair of workforce for the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County; Dennis Smith, vice president of integrated systems; U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith; Madison County Commissioner Dale Strong; Joe Valley, economic development director for the city of Huntsville. (Click photo to enlarge.)

Millennium is a small, employee-owned business specializing in space systems, weapon systems and advanced technologies. The company provides engineering services and unique hardware/software products to many Department of Defense and civilian agencies such as the Army, Missile Defense Agency (MDA), NASA, Navy, Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Continue »

Frank Anderson, President of DAU, and James McCullough, Dean of DAU South, cut the ribbon for the schools new campus in Thornton Research Park.

DAU trains government employees ranging from new hires to high-level project managers in acquisition, technology and logistics.

Charlie Kettle, Chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Board of Directors, said that DAU plays a key role in the area’s workforce development.

“Having Defense Acquisition University in our community creates an even better trained, more highly qualified workforce to support the critical programs at Redstone. In addition, DAU’s presence is a very powerful workforce recruitment tool. It is nice for workforce candidates to know that if they move to this community they will have access to specific continuous learning and enhanced training programs that will increase their knowledge base as well as create additional career advancement opportunities,” Kettle said. Continue »

John Donnellon, president of Decisive Analytics, cuts the ribbon for the company’s new office in Cummings Research Park.

According to John Donnellon, president of Decisive Analytics, the company looks forward to growing its footprint in Huntsville.

“We look forward to continue establishing a relationship with the community here and watching the community with amazed eyes at the technology being developed here. This is a place where a company like ours needs to be. NASA, the Army and Department of Defense’s Missile Defense Agency are all bringing their people here because of the quality of the workforce. We look forward to growing here as well.”

Donnellon added that he looks forward to having another ribbon cutting to celebrate an even bigger office soon.

Tony Jones, vice president and senior site executive, the Boeing Company.

SES will receive U.S. Army Apache helicopters at the SES West Aviation and Integration Facility located in Huntsville, where the aircraft will be disassembled, inspected and repaired as necessary. The components and airframe will be shipped to Boeing in Mesa, Ariz. for integration into the newest model Apache helicopter, the AH64D Apache Block III. Continue »

Headquarters, Army Contracting Command provides global contracting support to combatant commanders, and Headquarters, Expeditionary Contracting Command plans and executes contracting support for Army service component commanders in support of Army and joint operations. Headquarters, Expeditionary Contracting Command also provides support for multi-national contracting requirements.

Both contracting commands will collocate with the U.S. Army Materiel Command and the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command, which are also moving to Redstone Arsenal as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process.

The collocation of these organizations will serve to improve the integration of contracting services within the continental United States, overseas installations and theater operations.