"We are proud and privileged to enter into a relationship with these three leading research universities for our country," said Holly, a retired Army major general.

Holly said Lockheed officials worked on the program - called the Lockheed Martin Innovation Marketplace - for several months as a way to reach out to the community and find ways to find solutions to problems.  The marketplace will focus on supporting emerging technology for missile defense applications.

"Working together, Lockheed Martin and our university partners will further increase our active support of Department of Defense programs for small business and academic technology research," he said. "This local-level initiative will provide national-level benefits by helping bring more cutting-edge technologies into the systems our war fighters rely upon to defend our country."

Joining Holly at the signing this afternoon were Dr. Rodney Robertson, executive director of Auburn's Huntsville Research Center; Dr. Shaik Jeelani, vice president of Tuskegee's division of research and sponsored programs; and Dr. John Horack, UAH vice president for research.

GULF SHORES, Alabama -- Just a year after the BP oil spill devastated Baldwin County's beach tourism industry, the coast is encountering a breakout year.

Today, Gulf Shores & Orange Beach tourism reported a record $54.7 million in lodging revenue in June. That's an 8.4 percent jump over June 2007, the previous banner year, which saw revenue of $50.4 million, according to a news release from the tourism group.

June's retail sales also peaked at $82.2 million, a 6.8 percent increase over June 2007.

Since the beginning of the year, lodging revenue is 12.2 percent higher than it was in the same period during 2007, the tourism group said.

"This tax data confirms what our our entire island saw during the summer," president and CEO Herb Malone said in a prepared statement. "These positive numbers are a return to the level of growth that was expected in 2010, and early indicators based on July occupancy reports suggest that this positive trend will continue into other summer figures."

July lodging and retail tax figures are expected to be released in the coming weeks.