In a city full of firsts, the grand opening of JS Solutions’ new corporate headquarters at 150 West Park Loop, Suite 320 marked yet another chapter: a joint ribbon cutting for both the Madison and Huntsville Chambers of Commerce symbolizing a new collaborative energy fueling North Alabama’s small business ecosystem. The community spirit was also evident with the presence of Rocket City Trash Pandas mascot Sprocket, who provided photo opportunities as he mingled with the guests at the event. Led by President and CEO Jason Swafford, the service disabled veteran-owned company quickly outgrew its original home at the Invention to Innovation Center (I²C) at UAH, expanding from a one-person consulting operation to a company with 15 employees in just three years of operation. Swafford, a U.S. Army veteran who served in multiple overseas deployments, continues to support national defense through JS Solutions, which now focuses on logistics, program management support, strategic consulting, and technical, engineering, and cybersecurity services. “Jason clearly understood and embraced the Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. He lives these values every day and has infused these core values into the founding principles and operations of JS Solutions, and that’s what I admire about this company and about you, sir,” said Joe Fitzgerald, D.Sc., Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (CASA) for North Alabama. Swafford addressed the sizable audience, thanking the attendees for their support: “what a testament to see how much this community shows up for each other,” he said. “When we began this journey four years ago, we had an immense opportunity ahead of us, which required an innovative approach to problem solving, an agile team that could adapt to the changing needs of the nation’s military and contract requirements, and a collaborative mindset that was woven throughout everything we did.” Swafford noted the surprising level of community support for his venture, stating that each step they took to build the foundation for the company was “met with acceptance, curiosity, encouragement, and strength.” “Whether it was through the resources we were fortunate to receive at the I²C, our local area Chambers of Commerce, or our initial squad that helped shape what JSS is today, we had a team rooting for our success at every milestone we achieved,” Swafford continued. Prior to the ribbon cutting, Executive Director of the Madison Chamber of Commerce Michelle Epling expressed her excitement at this partnership between the two chambers brought about by a business begun in Swafford’s Madison home and now headquartered in Huntsville. “We’re so grateful for your partnership in both the Madison Chamber and the Huntsville Chamber, and we’ll continue to cheer you on for years to come. Congratulations!”
