Times West Virginian, June 2005

Morgantown firm wins $20 million contract

Counter-terrorism incident training will involve local high-tech businesses

A Morgantown-based electronic and software engineering firm has won a five-year, $20 million federal contract.

The project for counter-terrorism incident train will be done at the Center for National Response at the Memorial Tunnel on the old West Virginia Turnpike, U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd said Friday.

Craig Hartzell, the president and one of the founding partners of Azimuth Incorporated in Morgantown, said he was proud that his firm and other state-based high-tech firms won the competition for the contract.

"Huge. This is huge for us," he said.

The West Virginia National Guard has managed the center since 2000 with appropriations won by Byrd.

After the 9/11 attacks, more than 20,000 first responders -- police, fire and emergency medical crews -- and military units have already taken counter-terrorism training, including how to respond to a weapons of mass destruction attack at the Standard (Kanawha County) facility.

A number of Fairmont-based high-technology firms, including many at the West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation, will also work on the project, Hartzell said.

The firms partnering with Azimuth are:

• Electronic Warfare Associates (EWA) Government Systems Inc., Fairmont
• IIT, An EWA Company, Fairmont
• DuPont, Belle (national hazardous materials response team)
• Action Facilities Management
• Abrams Learning and Information systems (ALIS)
• Northrop Grumman, Century City, Calif. and Fairmont
• WVHTC Foundation, Fairmont
• Capitol Engineering, Charleston

Byrd noted the West Virginia National Guard has managed the center since 2000, long before the 9/11 attacks. Appropriations secured by Byrd helped the state National Guard to develop the tunnel for use in training scenarios.

After the suicide-plane hijackings, training at the facility increased, Byrd said.

"After the fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan, Marines and Army Special Forces scoured the rugged hills and caves of that country searching for remnants of the old regime and for Al Qaeda terrorists. Where did they train? They trained at the CNR in West Virginia," he said.

Maj. Gen. Allen E. Tackett, adjutant of the state National Guard, said he was looking forward to working with the Azimuth team. The grant will enable the Guard to equip and update the CNR.

First District Congressman Alan B. Mollohan said he, too, is pleased that Azimuth won the contract.

Noting the firm is a charter member of the WVHTCF that he helped to found, Mollohan said: "It is a sign of our growing capabilities that a team led by a West Virginia company -- and including a number of state-based partners -- will manage such an important security initiative."

Azimuth will begin work on the project later this month, Hartzell said.

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 Washington Technology, August 2005

CSC lands biometric project

Computer Sciences Corp. won a two-year $22 million task order to develop and support the Defense Department's Biometric Identification System for Access, the company said today.

This system will evaluate fingerprints and other biometric data from non-U.S. citizens before allowing them to access U.S. military facilities. The Biometrics Fusion Center, which facilitates the integration of databases, systems and processes for the Defense Department's biometric identity management program, is overseeing the project.

"Biometrics is a vital part of the security process our troops rely on to screen persons requesting access to military bases and facilities in Iraq," said Jose Jimenez, president of CSC's enforcement, security and intelligence organization.

CSC's team members on the task order, which is for one year and one option year, include Azimuth Inc. of Morgantown, W.Va., and Galaxy Scientific Corp. of Egg Harbor Township, N.J.

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Times West Virginian, October 2005

Sign of area's growth

Gerald Spragg of Worthington visited the Small Business Expo Thursday at Westchester Village to look around and see what 74 area vendors had to offer the community.

During the three-hour event where each local business had its own table filled with information and borchures, Spragg got some ideas, he said.

"I was talking to Huntington Bank (representatives) about rates, and I was talking to couple other places about different things. Maybe when I want to invest some moeny, I know where to go," Spragg said.

He noticed that there were few changes from previous years, including the size of the event, which was spread throughout two rooms and atteended by 1,000 people.

"There was more people and room this year," he said.

A reason for the expansion is that the area business community is growing, Marion County Chamber of Commerce President Tina Shaw said.

"The small businesses needed a venue in order to get the word out abut what they do, and it gives the residents of the region an opportunity to see the types of businesses that are available in Mario County," she said.

Shaw said the event went so smoothly she does not think any changes will be made to next year's expo.

"This is a good way to let other businesses know we are in Fairmont. And it helps build good business relationships," Glenda K. Julian, manager of Personnel Temporary Services, Inc., said.

The sponsors of the expo were Fairmont Federal Credit Unit, First Exchange Bank, WesBanco, Huntington Banks, Times West Virginia and BB&T.

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