Annual Report
| 
| |
|
|
|
Welcome to Virginia's e-Region
We hope you enjoy our electronic newsletter giving you news and business development updates from the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority. Don't forget to sign up to be included on our mailing list! |
|
DIRECTV announces plans to establish virtual call center in Southwest Virginia
On March 30, DIRECTV announced plans to establish a virtual call center in Southwest Virginia.
From left are Gary Qualls, DIRECTV's vice president of business operations and development; Jay Rife, chairman of the VCEDA Executive Committee; and Congressman Rick Boucher.  | The project will create 100 new jobs, recruiting from three regions including Virginia's e-Region, the New River Valley, and Virgina's aCorridor. The new employees will complete online training and telework from home. Congressman Boucher said, "I am pleased that DIRECTV has chosen to operate a virtual call center in Southwest Virginia, hiring 100 of our region's residents to serve as remote agents. Southwest Virginia's widespread availability of high-speed Internet services, as well as the area's excellent workforce and outstanding training resources, make the region ideal for DIRECTV's expansion of the Remote Agent Program." Jay Rife, chairman of the VCEDA Executive Committee, addressed the audience at the e-Region announcement along with Boucher and Gary Qualls, DIRECTV's vice president of business operations and development.
|
|
VCEDA, local economic developers attend Data Center World Expo
 VCEDA led a team of economic development allies to Nashville March 8-11 to promote Virginia's e-Region as a business location at Data Center World Expo, considered a premier conference for data center professionals and one of the largest global events of its kind. In addition to manning the e-Region exhibit booth, the team met with more than 20 companies in pre-set appointments to discuss advantages of the e-Region. Representing the region in the photo, are, from left, Craig Horn, Buchanan County; Carl Snodgrass, Wise County; Harry and Yvonne Rutherford, Russell County; Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA; Margie Douglass, Tazewell County; Charlotte Mullins, Dickenson County; John Kilgore, Scott County; Donnie Rife, Dickenson County; and Charles Yates, VCEDA.
For more details, click here.
|
Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling addresses the Executive Advisory Board during its annual meeting Jan. 21 in Richmond.  | Executive Advisory Board holds annual meeting
VCEDA's Executive Advisory Board held its annual meeting on Jan. 21 in Richmond at the Omni Hotel.
Dr. Chris Chmura, president of Chmura Economics & Analytics, addressed the advisory group and offered reasons why the region's unemployment rate is less than that of the U.S. when it was much higher in the last recession. She said the coal industry has been strong, professional business services are growing and construction is showing growth as well, which she attributes in part to the power plant under construction in Wise County. The Northrop Grumman and CGI information technology projects in Russell County also have benefitted the region economically.
Special guests included Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling and Robert Sledd, senior economic advisor to Governor Bob McDonnell, both of whom addressed the advisory board and discussed the role of economic development in the new administration.
Executive Advisory Board members also attended the Regional Legislative Reception immediately following the meeting. VCEDA also hosted a dinner for the Executive Advisory Board following the regional reception.
|
|
Crooked Road Tech Center opens
 Virginia Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling joined Scott County, VCEDA, the Tobacco Commission and other officials Jan. 5 to officially open the new Crooked Road Tech Center located in the Scott County Regional Business and Technology Park. Tours of the facility were conducted after the ribbon cutting. L.to R. in photo, Skip Skinner, John Kilgore, Delegate Terry Kilgore, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, Joe Fuller, Dr. David Redwine, and Ron Flanary. |
|
VCEDA approves loan to Mountain Forest Products, LLC for expansion
VCEDA closed a $250,000 loan Dec. 29 to Mountain Forest Products, LLC to expand its Dickenson County wood products business. Mountain Forest Products acquires, processes and sells wood products for the paper (chips) and power (biomass) industries at its
From left, are Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA executive director, Jay Rife, VCEDA chairman, and Karl Kindig, manager of Mountain Forest Products.
 | Clintwood facility. Approved by the VCEDA board of directors at its Dec. 17 meeting, the loan will be used to pay toward new machinery, and the company expects to add new direct and indirect jobs over the next few years as a result of the project. For more details, click here. |
|
VCEDA elects 2010 officers
Lee County attorney George Cridlin was elected chairman of VCEDA at the organization's December board meeting. Cridlin served on the first VCEDA board from 1988 to 1992, and came back on the board in 2004. Also elected as officers are Donald Baker, mayor of Clintwood, vice chairman; Mike Quillen, chairman of Alpha Natural Resources, treasurer; and R.S. Lewis, representing the Virginia Coal Association, secretary.
|
|
e-Region news briefs...
VCEDA was represented at the Information Assurance Exposition in Nashville. The 2010 Information Assurance Symposium was held Feb. 2-4 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville, TN. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership was an exhibitor at the symposium, and Susan Copeland represented VCEDA and worked the booth with VEDP. The symposium and expo included information and training opportunities offered as well as time for networking with about 2,200 information assurance professionals from U.S. Government, U.S. Government contractors, 2nd party government and 2nd party government sponsored attendees.
On Dec. 18, VCEDA hosted a regional meeting with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership at the VCEDA office in Lebanon. The meeting was held to discuss current events and future strategies in the economic development of the region. Local economic developers from the VCEDA region and guests from the region attended. A follow-up meeting was held in Richmond at the VEDP offices Jan. 21.
A free "Introduction to Exporting" session will be held from 9 a.m. to noon May 4 at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon for those new to exporting. Sponsored by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, VCEDA and regional sponsors, the three-hour interactive session will also be held by VEDP May 5 at Roanoke and May 6 in Lynchburg. Intended primarily for new-to-export companies, it is an opportunity for local businesses to learn about the benefits of exporting and about free resources available to them to help them expand their sales and business area beyond US borders. Pre-registration is required. For more information and to pre-register, click here. |
|
|
|
|
