CEO Alice Lessmann: Education a foundation for the community

MADISON – For Huntsville native Alice Lessmann, leadership is shaped by experience, education and a profound dedication to community. 

Lessmann, chief executive officer of Cepeda Systems, has taken on a variety of leadership through her extensive career – from her enlistment in the Alabama Army National Guard to her time as an acute care nurse practitioner.

She attributes much of her success to her early roots as a student in North Alabama.

“Growing up in Huntsville since the age of three, and as a graduate of the Huntsville City School system, I’ve benefitted from the strong educational foundation provided by the community,” she said. “My education became the foundation for me to pursue a variety of professional opportunities.”

Today, as a Madison City School board member and the Alabama Association of School Board’s District 9 director, she continues to give back to the community that was essential to her formative years.

After graduation, Lessmann joined the Alabama Army National Guard, where she was thrust into a variety of leadership roles.

“The military is a crucible for personal and professional development,” she said. “You really learn what you’re capable of – and how to overcome obstacles and build resilience.” 

While she initially joined as a way to pay for college, Lessman quickly learned that she thrived in the team-based environment. Her commander saw her potential as well – and convinced her to enroll in officer candidate school, where she rose in ranks, eventually retiring as a lieutenant colonel. 

Her nursing career began at Huntsville Hospital and continued as a nurse practitioner at the Spine and Neuro Center. 

“As a nurse, you’ve got to make quick decisions and be ready for anything,” Lessmann said. “Being a night nurse meant making a lot of choices on your own and learning a great deal of autonomy and how to make your own decisions. As an advocate for my patients, it was a massive responsibility.”

And today, she uses those same crucial leadership skills to serve her company, her customers, and her community. 

Founded in 2005, Signalink is a certified Service Disabled, Veteran-owned small business specializing in technical services, engineering, and systems integration within federal markets.

Lessmann took over as CEO in 2016 and she was recently honored as Philanthropic Businessperson of the Year for her work leading the company’s commitment to social responsibility as highlighted by its dedicated efforts in the realms of education and veteran support.

In 2022, the company was approached to acquire Cepeda Systems & Software Analysis, a woman-owned, veteran-owned, minority-owned, and HUBZone-certified small business headquartered in the University of Alabama in Huntsville’s Invention to Innovation Center.

“It was a decision that took much thought and prayer,” said Lessman. “We had never thought about buying another company, but it was a good fit because the capabilities complemented each other so well.”

The company’s vision statement of “people, customers, and community” highlights what is most important to Lessmann, who emphasizes a relationship-driven approach to her work.

“As a small business, we desire to take care of and empower our employees, so that they in turn can take great care of our customers,” she said. 

And Lessmann continues to pay forward the same pivotal leadership skills she acquired years ago, professionally and personally. Her work at both companies and throughout her community have earned her a host of recognitions, including UAH’s Alumni Achievement Award and the Madison Spirit Award from Madison City Chamber of Commerce, both of which she received this year. 

She sees the same determination in her children – through her son, a student at Florida State University, and her daughter, who is following in Lessmann’s military footsteps at the Air Force Academy.

“I’m watching her work through the same obstacles I experienced, the refining process, being tested under pressure,” said Lessmann. “She will overcome those challenges and come out stronger on the other side.” 

Lessmann said a solid educational foundation is the key to success for children. As the District 9 director for the AASB, Lessmann represents boards in Albertville, Arab, Blount, Boaz, Guntersville, Huntsville, Jackson, Madison, Madison County, Marshall, Oneonta and Scottsboro.  

“A strong educational foundation is essential for North Alabama’s continued growth and prosperity” said Lessmann. “Access to quality education empowers individuals, drives economic development, and fosters a thriving community.”

Lessman said the region benefits from strong leadership that not only supports education but looks toward the future. 

“Strong leadership, in our schools and our communities, is essential as we continue to move forward,” she said. “With strong leadership, we not only shape the present but also pave the way for a brighter future.”