All good things begin with queso. At least that’s the case for two Huntsville business owners.
On February 12, 1999, Rey Almodóvar and Harold (Hal) Brewer met for dinner at Rosie’s Mexican Cantina, now present-day Phil Sandoval’s. Both were working for the U.S. Army’s Aviation and Missile Command which at the time was having a reduction in force and was offering a buy-out to employees that would separate. After long careers in the civil service, the two knew there was a better way to provide technical solutions to the Department of Defense. It was over margaritas, chips, and salsa they decided to start their own business of providing premiere engineering and analytical services.
“Hal grabbed a Rosie’s napkin and jotted down our business plan and the rest, as they say, is history,” said Rey.
Almodóvar and Brewer both resigned from the government and began strategizing a business plan. While Brewer stayed in Huntsville and began working for a government contractor, Almodóvar returned to his home in Dallas.
Though the two were eager, they learned success wouldn’t happen overnight. “I started knocking on doors and picking up small tasks-potential customers would ask, ‘Can you do this’ or ‘Can you help us with that?’” Almodóvar recalls. “AMCOM is pro small business and we immediately started getting favorable responses to our marketing efforts. It was enough to reassure me, and within three weeks, I said ‘I can do this.’”
Almodóvar and Brewer founded Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation (INTUITIVE) on June 3, 1999. Almodóvar worked from his dining room, billable hours during the day and then keeping up the accounting from 7pm until 2am. “We had $40,000 in sales the first year.” What began as a two-person operation out of Almodóvar’s house has grown into a 400-employee, multiple-award winning corporation.
INTUITIVE was founded to provide an alternative to the traditional technical support contractor and provide services that are technically sound, competitively priced, and provide the best value to its customers. “From day one, Rey and I were determined to build a world-class, go-to engineering and analysis firm that would become renown in the aerospace and defense industry, worldwide,” said Brewer.
A steady stream of work has led to fast growth for the company. Since its inception, INTUITIVE has seen annual growth rates of 50 percent. As the company has grown, it has been recognized many times for its work and hiring practices. Brewer commented, “When people ask me what we do, I say ‘Whatever it takes’. Customers call on INTUITIVE because we have a reputation for solving hard problems.”
INTUITIVE provides solutions from design through production to sustainment by delivering targeted results continuously enhanced by advances in technology and best practices. Their approach couples the latest technology with engineering expertise, analytical proficiency, and keen managerial oversight. The company has experience providing technical and programmatic support to clients throughout defense, commercial, and governmental sectors. Companies and organizations throughout the world have trusted INTUITIVE’s extensive expertise to provide innovative answers to their challenges.
There have been many lessons learned along the way, but INTUITIVE has persevered and remained adaptable. The company is excited to celebrate 20 years of business this June.