Rocket City FAME Raises the Bar in Quality Assurance Rollout 

After a year of remarkable growth, Rocket City FAME in Huntsville, Alabama, became the first chapter to undergo the Manufacturing Institute’s new FAME Quality Assurance process. By meeting all required standards, the chapter earned recognition as a Top Performing FAME Chapter, demonstrating what strong alignment, quality implementation and effective preparation look like in practice. 

Rapid developments: After rising to their roles in late 2024, Rocket City FAME Co-Chairs Shawn Merritt of Y-tec Keylex Toyotetsu Alabama and Daniel Smith of Mazda-Toyota seized the opportunity to revitalize their chapter. In partnership with Calhoun Community College, the pair adopted a student first philosophy, modifying their apprenticeship placement system to allow students to choose between offers from multiple companies. This change was popular with local students, drawing in a bigger talent pool than the chapter had room to accommodate.  

To meet this increasing student demand, Merritt and Smith began a chapter-wide effort to recruit more sponsoring manufacturers to their chapter. It was a resounding success; after not adding any new employers in at least four years, they recruited 11 in just two months. The pair also brought on new board members committed to advancing the program, strengthening both the chapter’s capacity and leadership. 

• “We had help from the entire program here and every company that’s in the program. They all got behind us, they all supported us,” said Smith. 

Fueled by the momentum of their success, Rocket City volunteered to be the first FAME chapter assessed in the new Quality Assurance (QA) process.  

Quality Assurance: Through this process, FAME USA will take a comprehensive look at each FAME chapter, evaluate alignment with national standards and determine accreditation status. Accreditation will be valid for three years and is required to remain in the FAME USA network and use the FAME model, name, training programs and resources. Chapters that meet all FAME standards will be recognized as Top Performing FAME Chapters, earning an extended, five-year accreditation. All chapters will receive a Continuous Improvement Plan to guide continued growth. 

By holding every chapter to the same rigorous, industry-aligned standards, FAME USA ensures consistent high performance, strengthens the manufacturing talent pipeline nationwide, and supports the documentation and scaling of best practices across the network. 

• “At the heart of FAME’s success is a mutual commitment: employers and students both show up ready to perform at a high level. When expectations are clear, training is aligned with real operational needs, and participants are trusted to rise to the challenge, remarkable outcomes follow,” says the MI’s Tony Davis, National Director of FAME USA. “FAME reflects how a modern workforce model can be both structured and adaptable—delivering excellence without unnecessary complexity.” 

Shooting for the stars: For Rocket City FAME, preparing for QA was a collaborative effort involving stakeholders across the chapter. While the chapter only needed to meet 15 of the 18 standards to receive accreditation, they were driven to achieve perfection. The chapter went above and beyond in demonstrating their alignment with these standards, sometimes providing upwards of six examples when prompted for just two. 

• “We didn’t want to miss one. We wanted to meet all 18 standards, and we wanted to knock all 18 out of the park,” said Smith. 

• “I wanted to know that if we’re promising a perfect chapter for the students, that’s what we have,” said Merritt. “I wanted that validation.” 

After weeks of hard work, they were ecstatic to learn that they successfully met all 18 standards, receiving accreditation and designation as a Top Performing Chapter. 

• “To know that we are the standard moving forward, to know that we’re the benchmark, it just means a lot,” said Smith. “The whole experience was really, really good.”   

Words of advice: All FAME chapters will be strengthened under the QA process in the coming months and years. Having gone through the process, Merritt and Smith encourage other chapters to make the most of this opportunity. 

• “If you’re a chapter president, you should absolutely want to do this, but you can’t go it alone,” said Merritt. “Benchmark where your chapter is, and if your chapter is not connected and moving as one group, take this as an opportunity to get back on the same page.”