11/28/2001

Jim Hall Biography

Jim Hall- lives in Chattanooga with his wife & 2 daughters.  He is the former Chairman of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (or NTSB), serving from 1994 to 2001 in that position. Prior to that role, Jim has served as counsel to the U.S. Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Relations, as a Cabinet Member with Governor Ned McWherter, as the Director of the Tennessee State Planning Office for five years and as Chief of Staff for US Senator Harlan Mathews.

During his tenure as Chairman of the NTSB,  Jim presided over the Board of Inquiry and public hearings for several major transportation accidents, including USAir Flight 427 and TWA Flight 800.  He also participated in numerous international aviation investigations including those in Indonesia, Japan, China and Brazil.  Hall’s focus on safety led the NTSB to issue landmark safety guidelines from passenger side automobile bags, transit bus safety, child restraint systems and commuter airlines.  Hall was named to the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security in 1996, after which the commission made over 51 recommendations to the President for improvements in aviation safety and security around the world.

Jim Hall now heads up the new law practice of Dilon, Hall & Lungershausen in Washington, DC and continues to be involved in national and international transportation issues, crisis management and government relations.

Few persons, if any, in the world would have a more first-hand understanding of the importance of product performance, the cost and tragedy of product defects and the importance of product innovation & R&D than Jim Hall.  It is our privilege to have Jim Hall in his own home town for this event and to hear some of his observations and perspectives about the importance of these issues to American businesses.

Vernotto McMillan Biography

Vernotto McMillan- is currently based in Huntsville, AL and holds the position of Deputy Director for the Technology Transfer Department of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.  Marshall is known as one of the most “aggressive” technology transfer programs in the nation.

Since 1983, Vernotto has worked with Marshall in a variety of positions in areas of Materials and Processes, as a Technical Specialist and as a Manager of Mission Quality for NASA HQ.    In the early ‘90s he worked, literally, in “Rocket Science”, on systems related to the Space Shuttle Rocket Motor Project.  After that, Vernotto began his focus beyond Rocket Science to Technology Transfer opportunities for Marshall across their many programs.

At Marshall, Vernotto leads diverse industry, government and university teams to pursue successful development and commercialization of technologies   He is also active in the creation and continued growth of outreach and economic development partnerships.

He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Materials Engineering from UAB; a Masters of Science from Florida Institute of Technology and is a PhD candidate at University of Alabama-Huntsville.  He has received numerous awards from NASA & Marshall Space Flight Center for Exceptional Achievements, Group Achievements & Special Service during his tenure.

Chattanooga is honored to have this national expert on Technology Transfer from Marshall Space Flight Center here today.  He is imminently qualified to describe what Marshall might have to offer a community such as ours, what Marshall’s strengths are and how a business or individual who might be interested can take advantage of these opportunities.

Sandra Coleman Biography

Sandra Coleman-   Ms. Coleman heads up a unique initiative of NASA & Marshall as the Chief Operating Officer  of the “National Space Science and Technology Center” (NSSTC).   Housed in its own facility, the NSSTC in Huntsville, Al, enables industry, federal scientists and university researchers to collaborate in development of cutting edge research of mutual value to them.  The Technology Center is also a key training ground for development of next generation scientists and engineers.  Sandra has been the project manager tasked with building and brining this program about in Huntsville.

Her origins with NASA date back to 1965 when she worked with the Saturn Program Office.  She has worked on a variety of Space Shuttle Teams and related project offices, holding positions primarily in Business and Project Management.  In 1997, Ms. Coleman was appointed Deputy Chief Financial Officer for Resources ($$ / Contracts) at Marshall.

She has received numerous awards for leadership, excellence and service from NASA.  Sandra has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from University of AL in Huntsville and a M.S. Degree in Industrial Engineering from UA-Tuscaloosa.

Ms. Coleman is in Chattanooga to share with us more about the innovative program she currently spearheads in Huntsville that bridges relationships between NASA, industry and the university communities.  She will tell us helpful lessons she has learned through the course of their experience with NSSTC on bridging these relationships in the most effective ways, if there are any opportunities for Chattanooga to work with their program(s), helpful ideas for local businesses who might be interested in a project with Marshall on how to get the most out of that relationship.

For more information, contact Todd Womack, Communications Director, at 423-757-5168