PRESS RELEASE

CONTACT: Carrie Rice
Marketing and Communications Director
256.535.2018 office, 256.326.2018 cell
[email protected]

June 8, 2015—The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County is pleased to announce that Erin Koshut will serve as the new Director of Cummings Research Park (CRP) in Huntsville, AL. Koshut is exceptionally familiar with CRP and the Huntsville/Madison County area and will be a tremendous asset in her new position. She will take the helm on Monday, July 6.

Since 2013, Koshut has served as Vice President for Client Services and Special Events with Crisp Communications in Huntsville. Prior to that, she spent 14 years with AkinsCrisp Public Strategies—working in Tennessee, Washington, D.C., and Huntsville—providing strategic communications, media relations, and government affairs support to federal, state and local government clients, as well as several major companies here in Huntsville and throughout Tennessee. Koshut also led the award-winning Tennessee Valley Corridor, a 5-state regional technology and economic development initiative, and that organization’s annual national technology Summits.

Koshut will work within the Chamber’s economic development program, reporting to the Vice President of Economic Development. As the CRP Director, Koshut will specifically be responsible for marketing and providing management support related to Cummings Research Park properties and tenants, and working with other economic development representatives as well as community and government leaders. The Director functions within a multi-disciplinary environment. She will work closely with the Chamber economic development staff, the Mayor and staff of the City of Huntsville, the Cummings Research Park Board, prospective new and existing business representatives, other government officials, property owners, developers and realtors, and other key community representatives.

Out of the chute, Koshut will work with the CRP Board of Directors, the CRP Advisory Council, the Chamber and the City of Huntsville on the master planning process as it continues to progress.

“I am excited to join the Chamber and look forward to leading Cummings Research Park into the future,” said Koshut. “CRP is renown throughout the world as a top-tier high-tech research park that has experienced phenomenal growth because of our strong, reputable and successful companies and organizations. The master planning process presents a great opportunity to leverage CRP’s strengths and our stakeholder’s successes for greater growth and development.”

Koshut has been active in the Huntsville/Madison County community, serving previously as a member of the Huntsville Committee of 100, the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County’s National Government Committee, publicity chair for the National Children’s Advocacy Center’s 2013 September Celebration, and the 2013 and 2014 Huntsville Hospital Foundation’s Liz Hurley Ribbon Run.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle is confident that Koshut will be an outstanding leader for this important community position: “The City has had the privilege of collaborating with Erin through the years on a variety of projects, and her extensive business and marketing experience will prove invaluable as our research park undergoes a master planning and visioning process,” Mayor Tommy Battle said. “This is truly a transformational time for CRP that requires the ability to plan and implement. Erin possesses the diplomacy, business smarts, and marketing savvy to guide CRP into the future. We are delighted she is joining our business team.”

Charlie Grainger, Chairman of the Cummings Research Park Board of Directors agreed: “We are pleased that a person of Erin Koshut’s knowledge and capabilities is joining CRP as Director. She will be a great asset in continuing the Park’s tradition of attracting quality research-oriented companies as well as working closely with existing CRP CEOs and owners.”

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