Launch Regional Partnership (Launch) convened for its eighth annual State of the Region gathering on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 at the Point Mallard Event Center in Decatur, Alabama.

Business leaders, local representatives, and entrepreneurs from across 13 Alabama counties—Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston—gathered to celebrate Launch’s Roadmap for the Region, recap the organization’s work across North Alabama, and chart an aligned course into the future.

“Regionalism isn’t about one city or just one county in the region. It’s about the entire region, and North Alabama is not standing still,” said Launch Committee Chair John Allen. “North Alabama is on the move.”

Launch catalyzes regional collaboration and drives strategic action that leads to sustainable growth across North Alabama; no city or sector is promoted or elevated above the other. The nonprofit provides a neutral space for leaders, stakeholders, and officials to come together and focus on the future, and works alongside local chambers of commerce, councils of government, economic development authorities and tourism bureaus, encouraging them to align with a broader vision for the region.

Over the past 11 years, Launch has spearheaded successful projects across the region, including the Singing River Trail, a nonprofit 220-mile greenway project; the Regional Workforce Study, which connects business needs with talent pipeline development; and Launch Tank, an entrepreneurial pitch competition. Its Regional Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Study guides strategic innovation investment.

Launch’s goal is to align three major pillars across the region: land use, workforce development and entrepreneurship. Leaders representing each pillar delivered progress updates at the event.

Entrepreneurial pillar leaders John Joseph IV, Executive Director of Decatur-Morgan County Entrepreneurial Center, and Toni Eberhart, Executive Talent Marketing & Engagement Specialist at Blue Origin, stated that to date, five Launch Tanks have been held across the region.

Workforce development pillar leader Dr. Harry Hobbs of the Alabama Workforce Development Board and Vice President Employee Engagement at Huntsville Utilities discussed the importance of building workforce development and readiness alignment, with the goal of addressing each county’s specific workforce gaps and needs.

Finally, Erin Tidwell, the City of Athens’ City Planner Engineering & Community Development, discussed the Land Use Committee’s progress in understanding regional interests, needs, and capacity. The committee has brought in professionals and partners to address current and future challenges, including transportation safety, state fiber initiatives, and TVA’s dark fiber initiative.

Alabama State Representative Terri Collins and Mary Marshall VanSant, Director of the Office of Regional Engagement at the University of North Alabama, announced the inaugural cohort of The Exchange, Powered by TVA. In September 2026, 28 Launch leaders will gather from across North Alabama for the first of five sessions aimed at building relationships, sharing ideas, and creating opportunities that strengthen the region.

“Each day-and-a-half session will focus on creating a trusted number of leaders committed to connecting people, sharing ideas and creating opportunities that strengthen North Alabama,” VanSant said. “Together, participants will build relationships that extend beyond county lines and work towards a more connected, resilient, and prosperous region.”

U.S. Space Command transition to Huntsville opens regional defense industry opportunities

The relocation of the United States Space Command headquarters to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville brings an array of new workforce opportunities to North Alabama. Col. Raymond Ruscoe, Deputy Director of the Redstone Transition Team for U.S. Space Command, presented an in-depth look at the command’s contribution not only to defense from space, but protecting the access to space that enables the technology tools we use every day.

“This is not necessarily a war fighting issue,” Col. Ruscoe said. “This is a living issue. Your power grid depends upon it. Commerce in general depends upon our freedom of maneuver in space.”

According to Col. Ruscoe, U.S. Space Command is composed of about 18,000 personnel total, 1800 of whom will relocate to Huntsville as part of the transition. Roughly half of those personnel (900) are projected to be in Alabama by 2028.

Col. Raymond Ruscoe, Deputy Director of the Redstone Transition Team for U.S. Space Command, speaks about the command’s role in defending and maintaining access to space during Launch Regional Partnership’s State of the Region gathering. Photo: Haley Walden

First Spirit of Regionalism Award presented posthumously

During the event, the first inaugural Spirit of Regionalism Award was presented posthumously to John Seymour, who advocated for and championed Launch until his death in Dec. 2025. Seymour served as President and CEO of the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce for three decades.

Jim Page, former Chairman and Interim Director of Launch, presented the award, which was accepted by Crystal Brown, former President and CEO of the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce.

In the future, the honor will be known as the John Seymour Spirit of Regionalism Award.

Jim Page presents the inaugural Spirit of Regionalism Award to Crystal Brown in honor of the late John Seymour. Photo: Haley Walden

More about Launch

Founded in 2015 by North Alabama business leaders and led fully by volunteers and businesses, the Launch Regional Partnership nonprofit exists to facilitate and nurture collaboration across the region, with the ultimate goal of envisioning a collective shared future. The organization believes that for success in the long term, a unified regional vision is essential.

Using research data collected by the University of North Alabama, Launch identified eight strategic initiatives to focus on. These include Regional Branding, Strategic Communications and Public Relations; Tracking Emerging Trends, Resources and Peer Benchmarks; Leadership Connectivity; Regional Advocacy; Regional Infrastructure Planning; Workforce Development; Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Administration and Governance. Launch’s strategic platform equips local leaders to effectively advocate at both the federal and state levels.

To learn more about Launch and its ongoing initiatives, visit https://launchtnvalley.org/.