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The NDIA Tennessee Valley Chapter (NDIA-TVC) Officers and Board of Directors (BOD) and I each wish a Happy and prosperous 2010 to our members and friends.

2009 was an eventful year for our NDIA-TVC Chapter.  We were once again recognized by NDIA National as a Model Chapter – for the ninth year in a row!  That success was made possible by super dedication, commitment, and innovativeness of our members and the Chapter’s leaders.  Thank you all. 

Some highlights from our 2009 year include: 

• We implemented a 3-Year Strategic Planning Process for Chapter programs, activities, chapter leader development, and chapter financial management.

• We established a BOD position responsible for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) outreach programs. Ms. Suzanne Norris and Ms. Mary Ann Stasiak conducted a study of STEM needs in our region, proposed and obtained BOD approval of an outreach plan, and assisted by many others executed our first STEM event.  Our concept is grow our STEM Program to support the design and development of specific engineering projects at high schools in our area of responsibility, concentrating on the more rural schools that are feeders to the universities and colleges that produce tomorrow’s defense industry careers.

• We provided over $58,000 in support of STEM programs, including STEDTRAIN, Science Fairs, Adventures in Engineering, scholarships and fellowships, engineering and design competitions, Sci-Quest, Girls Inc., Military Order of World Wars (MOWW) Youth Leadership Program, Huntsville Inner City Learning Center, Youth Friendship Foundation, Space and Missile Defense Education day, and other activities. We continued to partner with organizations such as the Air, Space and Missile Defense Association (ASMDA) on several of these activities.

• We conducted the 2009 NDIA-TVC Awards Dinner, recognizing people for their demonstrated excellence in national industrial defense, as well as others for their potential for great contributions to our Nation’s security.  Our most prestigious award (nationally recognized) was the 2009 MG John B. Medaris Award, given to MG Jim Snider, USA (Ret.), a great American. We were honored with the presence of NDIA’s President and CEO LTG (Ret.) Larry Farrell, who participated in our event.

• We sponsored or cosponsored several industry updates and professional development events with key officials throughout the year, including LTG O’Reilly, Director of MDA,  BG Price, Deputy PM for FCS Brigade Combat Team for Network Integration, Dr. Michael Griffin, former NASA Administrator and current UAHuntsville Director for Center of Systems Studies, and others.   We also sponsored a special recognition event for retiring SES Michael Schexnayder, immediate past Deputy to the Commander of SMDC for Research, Development, and Engineering as well recognizing Dr. William McCorkle, former Director AMRDEC for his over 50 years of service to the aviation and missile communities.

• We partnered with and assisted NDIA HQs in their conduct of the Tennessee Valley Federal Small Business Programs Conference and Exhibition during the summer in Huntsville.

• We continued our partnership with the Air, Space, and Missile Defense Association and Air Defense Artillery Association to sponsor the 2009 Space and Missile Defense Conference and Exposition, an internationally recognized event of importance.

• Our membership has grown too, from 2034 in November of 2008 to 2372 as of October 2009… that is a 16.6% growth!   And, we continue to add Corporate Memberships.

• NDIA-TVC Awards Program Announced – January 2010
• General Membership Meeting and Installation of Officers – January 21st, 2010
• Awards Banquet  – April 2010
• NDIA National Small Business Conference and Exposition – Huntsville AL – May 2010
• Space and Missile Defense Conference and Exposition - August 2010
• Fall 2010 STEM Event
• Other events are evolving in concept and preparation

I invite all NDIA members, to reach out and go active in your support to our great Tennessee Valley Chapter.  Encourage others to become members and do so as well; membership in NDIA is a bargain, and together we can do so much to enable the defense of our nation, our citizens, and our allies through technological innovation and efficient and effective sustainment of our resources.

And, while you are going about your daily busy lives, remember our military service members and their families; they willingly go into harm’s way, wherever they are sent and do the tough work that help to keep us and others safe, secure, and free!  Find a way everyday to show them that we care about them and that we will never let them down.