Thank you for being part of the 2023 Inter-City Visit to “Rocket City” — Huntsville, Alabama!
During these three days, we will focus on:
- Industry & entrepreneurship.
- Talent attraction.
- The music economy.
Together, we’ll bring fresh ideas back home–and put those ideas into practice–as we continue building a nationally recognized economy in Allen County.
Trip agenda
(all times Central Daylight Time)
3 p.m.
Check-in
106 Jefferson Hotel
106 Jefferson St. S
Huntsville, AL 35801
(256) 288-0128
4 p.m.
Session 1: Welcome to Rocket City
106 Jefferson Hotel – 106 Banquet Room
- Attendee introductions
- Panel discussion featuring:
- Chip Cherry – President & CEO, Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce
- Tommy Battle – Mayor of Huntsville, Ala.
- Paul Finley – Mayor of Madison, Ala.
- Mack McCutcheon – Chair of the Madison County Commission
5 p.m.
Cocktail social
5:30 p.m.
Dinner
Sponsored by Ambassador Enterprises
7 p.m.
Free time
7 a.m.
Breakfast (grab and go)
106 Jefferson Hotel
106 Jefferson St. S
Huntsville, AL 35801
(256) 288-0128
8 a.m.
Bus departs for University of Alabama in Huntsville
Snacks and water provided on bus
University of Alabama in Huntsville
301 Sparkman Dr.
Huntsville, AL 35899
8:30 a.m.
Session 2: Industry & Entrepreneurship
- Presentation by Chuck Karr – President, University of Alabama in Huntsville
- Tour and presentation at the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering
- Windshield tour of Cummings Research Park with Erin Koshut – Executive Director
- Tour of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology
11:40 a.m.
Bus departs for The Orion Amphitheater
The Orion Amphitheater
701 Amphitheater Dr. NW
Huntsville, AL 35806
12 p.m.
Lunch and Session 3: Dead Mall to Mid-City Entertainment District
“Vision to Success” presentation by:
- Tommy Battle – Mayor of Huntsville, Ala.
- Shane Davis – Director of Urban and Economic Development, City of Huntsville
“City of Huntsville’s Music Audit” presentation by:
- Matt Mandrella – Music Officer, City of Huntsville
The Orion Amphitheater tour and presentation by:
- Ryan Murphy – Managing Director, tvg hospitality
- Victoria Jones – Community Partnership Manager, tvg hospitality
2 p.m.
Break
2:30 p.m.
Bus departs for U.S. Space & Rocket Center
U.S. Space & Rocket Center
1 Tranquility Base
Huntsville, AL 35805
2:45 p.m.
Session 4: Talent Attraction
Tour of U.S. Space & Rocket Center
Early childhood education presentation by:
- Lucia Cape – Senior VP of Economic Development & Workforce, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce
- Lyndsay Ferguson – VP of Workforce, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce
$1M marketing experimental campaign presentation by:
- Lucia Cape – Senior VP of Economic Development & Workforce, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce
4:45 p.m.
Bus departs for hotel
106 Jefferson Hotel
106 Jefferson St. S
Huntsville, AL 35801
(256) 288-0128
5 p.m.
Break
6:15 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
Group photo and dinner
Dinner sponsored by Barrett & Stokely
7:15 a.m.
Depart for Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce
Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce
225 Church St. NW
Huntsville, AL 35801
7:30 a.m.
Breakfast
8 a.m.
Session 5: How Economic Deals Get Done
Presentation by:
- Chip Cherry – President & CEO, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce
- Shane Davis – Director of Urban and Economic Development, City of Huntsville
9 a.m.
Drive to Campus No. 805
Campus No. 805
2620 Clinton Ave. W
Huntsville, AL 35805
9:30 a.m.
Session 6: Tour of Campus No. 805
Meet in the cafeteria
Tour led by:
- Cooper Schrimsher – Director, Campus 805
10:30 a.m.
10:45 a.m.
Session 7: Stovehouse presentation and tour
Meet in the Cantina
Lunch vouchers distributed upon arrival
Presentation and tour led by:
- Patti Yancey – Owner / CFO, Stovehouse Properties
11:45 a.m.
Session 8: Lunch and debrief
Discussion led by:
- John Urbahns – President & CEO, Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
- Zach Benedict – Board Chair, Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
1 p.m.
Depart from Huntsville
Key contacts
Here’s who you’ll be traveling with and learning from:
- Zach Barrett – Barrett & Stokely
- Rex Barrett – Barrett & Stokely
- Zach Benedict – MKM architecture + design
- Dana Berkes – NIPSCO
- Jill Boggs – Visit Fort Wayne
- Matthew Booker – Matt Booker Agency Inc.
- Patrick Buesching – Don Wood Foundation
- Clifford Clarke – C2IT Advisors
- Jim Cook – STAR Financial Bank
- Ellen Cutter – Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
- Tom Didier – Fort Wayne / Allen County Local Elected Officials
- John Dortch – The Preston Joan Group, Inc.
- Gralan Early – Ambassador Enterprises, LLC
- Nikeshia Fomby – City of Fort Wayne
- Mike Fritsch – Northeast Indiana Innovation Center, Inc.
- Deborah Garrison – Indiana University Fort Wayne
- Tom Garrison – Indiana University Fort Wayne
- Brenda Gerber Vincent – Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
- Sherry Grate – Ambassador Enterprises, LLC
- Jenna Gunn – Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
- Lindsay Hannah – Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
- Justin Hayes – Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana
- G. Herb Hernandez – Greater Fort Wayne Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- B.J. Hull – Purdue University Fort Wayne
- Laura Macknick – Don Wood Foundation
- Susan Mendenhall – Don Wood Foundation
- Amanda Muldoon – NAI Hanning & Bean
- Nelson Peters – Allen County Government
- Kelly Rentschler – Indiana Michigan Power
- Dan Ross – Arts United
- Dan Stoker – Indiana Tech
- Nancy Townsend – City of Fort Wayne
- Ron Turpin – Ambassador Enterprises, LLC
- Kelly Updike – Embassy Theatre
- John Urbahns – Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
- Bob Walters – Allen County Fort Wayne Development Trust, Inc.
- Tommy Battle – Mayor of Huntsville, Ala.
- Lucia Cape – Senior VP of Economic Development & Workforce, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber
- Chip Cherry – President & CEO, Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce
- Shane Davis – Director of Urban and Economic Development, City of Huntsville
- Lyndsay Ferguson – VP of Workforce, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber
- Paul Finley – Mayor of Madison, Ala.
- Victoria Jones – Community Partnership Manager, tvg hospitality
- Matt Mandrella – Music Officer, City of Huntsville
- Mack McCutcheon – Chair, Madison County Commission
- Ryan Murphy – Managing Director, tvg hospitality
- Cooper Schrimsher – Director, Campus 805
- Patti Yancey – Owner / CFO, Stovehouse Properties
Lindsay Hannah
260-602-6200
lhannah@gfwinc.com
Jenna Gunn
260-224-7847
jgunn@gfwinc.com
Sponsors
Thanks to the sponsors who made this Inter-City Visit possible:
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