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The Shenandoah Valley Connection top 
July 10, 2 020
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How Are Unmanned Systems (UxS) Actually Being Utilized Today... and How Will They Be Used Tomorrow? (7/16)
Member News: Segra Launches Enterprise-Grade Remote Office LAN
Member News: Virginia Super Lawyers, Rising Stars Names Four Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver PLC Attorneys to their Annual Lists
Startup Shenandoah Valley Program Receives GO Virginia Grant
BRCC's Learning Can Be Fun - All Classes Online (June - August)
Local Discovery Museums Will Hold In-Person Camps | Harrisonburg & Winchester (June - August)
JMU Presents ONLINE Youth Programs (June - July)
Virginia Cybersecurity Education Conference | Free to VA State & Federal Employees (7/27 - 7/28)
Welcome Back Level III Member: Steven Toyota
Welcome Back Level I Member: grep Innovation
Welcome Back Level I Member: People Places
Shenandoah Valley Open Tech Jobs
Rocktown Tech Slack Channel Link


Virtual Luncheon | July 16, 2020 | 11:30 am - 1:00 pm

Did you know that drones have been used to deliver medical supplies during the COVID pandemic? Or that robots routinely deliver meals in the City of Fairfax. There are numerous industries that have embraced unmanned technologies because of the improved safety, greater efficiencies and more robust data that they offer. Everything from infrastructure assessments to precision agriculture to engineering and surveying, UxS are the new tools for the future.  Our webinar will illuminate this exciting technology sector and how it is currently impacting our lives.  Join us on July 16th to learn more!

About the Speaker
Tracy Tynan is the Director for the Virginia Unmanned Systems Center at CIT with the goal of growing unmanned systems economic activity and benefit in the Commonwealth. She had been a consistent producer within Virginia's economic development community for over 15 years. Her initial position was as an International Project Manager at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, where she focused on the rapidly developing investments coming from Japan and other Asian countries.  She then joined the regional team at The Greater Richmond Partnership and served as a Vice President for Business Investment. Returning to VEDP in 2011, Ms. Tynan worked highly visible corporate headquarters relocation and expansion projects while also pursuing opportunities for growth within the aerospace and unmanned systems sectors. She forged numerous strategic relationships within the aero community and gained first hand understanding of the issues and challenges of growing this important industry in Virginia. Ms. Tynan is a graduate of the University of Virginia.


Thank you luncheon sponsors!

             

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Member News:
Segra Launches Enterprise-Grade Remote Office LAN
  

   
Businesses Can Seamlessly Provide Remote Workers a Local Network Experience
with In-Office Security and Reliability


Charlotte, NC, June 30, 2020 -  Segra, one of the largest fiber infrastructure network companies in the Eastern U.S., announced today the launch of a new enterprise-grade remote office service -  Segra's Remote Office LAN . Rapidly changing workforce dynamics have led to increased reliance on remote workers and third-party networks by both employers and employees, leaving corporate infrastructure connectivity in the hands of the public internet.

According to a recent  report from Gartner, 74% of CFOs intend to shift a portion of their workforce to remote work permanently. This presents many new challenges for both security and reliability. Segra's Remote Office LAN enables an in-office, enterprise-grade experience for remote workers, removing the need for VPNs and split tunneling which often leave cloud traffic unsecured and unreliable. IT teams can monitor and funnel incoming public internet traffic into their network based on corporate protocols.

"Our Remote Office LAN provides a business and its remote workers the experience of a local area network with the functionality and security as if they were on-site," said Dan Watts, VP of Product Management & Business Development, Segra. "It's critical that the underlying network infrastructure is built for optimized security, so that employees can work remotely with the same security protocols as if they were in the company's office. The agility and functionality of the service makes deployment simple and turnkey for IT teams, employers and remote workers making this the perfect solution for businesses looking to manage remote and hybrid workforces."

Key benefits of Segra's Remote Office LAN include:
  • Simplicity - devices are pre-configured and ready to use once connected to the end user's broadband connection; no management of secure tunnels necessary by IT teams
  • Ease of Use - remote workers connect to the corporate Wi-Fi with the ease and convenience as if they're in the company's office
  • Security - leverages Segra's Hosted Firewall and encrypted secure connection
  • Resiliency - broadband and dual-carrier LTE support
  • Collaboration - bundled with Segra's cloud-based communication collaboration tool, Segra Unify
  • Productivity - allows businesses of all sizes to report on usage and productivity levels with the SD-WAN lite feature, to ensure availability of adequate bandwidth
Segra's Remote Office LAN allows the enterprise to replicate corporate firewall policies locally, ensuring secure access for remote users. With redundant WAN connections, traffic is managed utilizing SD-WAN to ensure the most reliable experience, while efficiently utilizing third-party broadband and LTE/5G connectivity. Remote Office LAN leverages single sign-on (SSO) capability, allows corporate security remote access control and includes the NetCloud management platform from Cradlepoint for central device management and configuration.

The new offering is based on Cradlepoint's NetCloud Service and E3000 Series router, which includes multi-WAN connectivity, PoE-enabled switching, and Wi-Fi 6. NetCloud provides complete remote office WAN and LAN management, enterprise-class routing, application-based QoS, SD-WAN traffic control, device-to-cloud connectivity and unified edge security with firewall, web filtering, threat detection and more.

T o learn more about Segra's Remote Office LAN, visit  https://www.segra.com/product/remote-office-lan/   and contact Segra at 833.GO.SEGRA or  businesssolutions@segra.com .

About Segra
Segra is one of the largest independent fiber infrastructure bandwidth companies in the Eastern U.S. It owns and operates an advanced fiber infrastructure network of over 30,000 miles that connects more than 10,000 locations and nine data centers throughout nine Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states. Segra provides Ethernet, MPLS, dark fiber, advanced data center services, IP and managed services, voice and cloud solutions, all backed by its industry-leading service and reliability. Customers include carriers, enterprises, governments, and healthcare organizations. For more information about Segra's technology and commitment to customer care, visit  segra.com.

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Member News:
Virginia Super Lawyers, Rising Stars Names Four Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver PLC Attorneys to their Annual Lists
  

Harrisonburg VA, July 1, 2020 - Four Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver PLC attorneys have been named Virginia Super Lawyer/Rising  Stars for 2020. Three attorneys were named Super Lawyers, which is an annual publication only  selecting five percent of the attorneys in the state to be included in their select list. WAW also had  one attorney named to the Rising Stars list. Rising Stars are attorneys under the age of 40 or in
practice for 10 years or less.

2020 Super Lawyers:
DANIEL L. FITCH - Civil Litigation
CHARLES F. HILTON - Medical Malpractice
GREGORY T. ST. OURS - Personal Injury
 
2020 Rising Stars:
ASHLEY H. WATERBURY - Civil Litigation
 
Wharton Aldhizer & Weaver PLC is a full-service law firm with offices in Harrisonburg  and Staunton. The firm serves individuals and businesses in the Shenandoah Valley and  the Mid-Atlantic states in the areas of: bankruptcy, commercial and civil litigation,  corporate finance, employment law, health care law, intellectual property matters,  medical malpractice, real estate and land use, tax planning, wills, estate planning, and  administration.

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Startup Shenandoah Valley Program Receives
GO Virginia Grant
  

The GO Virginia Board has approved a grant request of nearly $629,000 to fund a business scale-
up initiative called Startup Shenandoah Valley (S2V). The proposal, developed by the GO Virginia
 
Region 8 Council's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Advisory Committee led by Mary Lou Bourne,
Executive Director of James Madison Innovations and Committee Chair, reflects nearly 18 months
of collaboration, benchmarking, and resource assessment by multiple Shenandoah Valley
partners and small business owners. The Staunton Creative Community Fund (SCCF) made the
funding request from the statewide GO Virginia initiative, and will oversee implementation of the
three-part S2V program designed to launch a vibrant and comprehensive entrepreneurial
ecosystem across the Shenandoah Valley.

Startup Shenandoah Valley is a virtual acceleration program uniquely tailored to meet the needs
of entrepreneurs operating in a rural setting or one of the emerging business hubs around the
region - Winchester, Harrisonburg, Staunton, Lexington and Waynesboro. The program will
target entrepreneurs with scalable business ideas, particularly those focused on Region 8's
traded sectors of food processing, light manufacturing, information technology, cybersecurity,
and biomedical and biotechnical. In addition to the customized virtual accelerator programming,
the GO Virginia grant will also support dedicated workspace and entrepreneurial ecosystem
infrastructure buildout throughout the region, along with the hiring of two dedicated ecosystem
builders to support the network and programming.

The Virginia Initiative for Growth and Opportunity (GO Virginia) is a business-led initiative that
was formed to foster private-sector growth and diversification across nine economic
development regions in the Commonwealth. State financial incentives designated for regional
projects that encourage collaboration between private sector companies, workforce, education,
and government are administered by the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board.
Chris Kyle, incoming Chair of the Region 8 Council, stated "This exciting initiative is yet another
example of the long-standing, cooperative relationship between the Valley's key partners.
Thanks to the participation and funding support from our member localities, academic
institutions, and private sector partners, Startup Shenandoah Valley will facilitate the
advancement of new business ventures and job opportunities around the region - two of the
primary goals of the GO Virginia program."

Region 8 represents the Shenandoah Valley and includes the counties of Augusta, Bath, Clarke,
Frederick, Highland, Page, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Warren; and the cities of
Buena Vista, Harrisonburg, Lexington, Staunton, Waynesboro, and Winchester. The Regional
Council consists of 28 members and is supported by the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional
Commission (NSVRC); the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC); and the
Shenandoah Valley Partnership (SVP).

For more information on GO Virginia, visit online at Shenandoah Valley Partnership or Virginia
Department of Housing and Community Development, or contact Faith McClintic, Program
Director, GO Virginia Region 8 Council at GOVAReg8PD@gmail.com.

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BRCC's Learning Can Be Fun - All Classes Online (June - August)


Blue Ridge Community College's popular Learning Can Be Fun (LCBF) summer youth program offers 85 classes, providing rising 3-12 grade students plenty of opportunities for virtual learning.  Due to COVID-19 concerns, all classes meet online, with real-time learning taking place live with an instructor and other students for a virtual bonding experience over a one-week period.  Each class is grouped by appropriate age levels, with class size kept to a minimum to allow for individual attention.

Classes include the following subjects:
  • Black Rocket Productions- 60 classes
    • Design
    • Coding
    • Video Game Creation
    • Sports Challenges
    • Minecraft
    • JavaScript & Python
    • YouTube Content Creators
  • Science and Technology - 2 classes
  • Culture, History, Language, and Literature - 10 classes
  • Art, Music, and Theatre - 7 classes

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Local Discovery Museums Will Hold In-Person Camps Harrisonburg & Winchester (June - August)

       

Both the Explore More Discovery Museum and  Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum are  holding summer camps in-person while taking health and safety precautions, beginning June 29.  There are various camps, some with STEM topics, ranging from from Pre-K through Grade 8. Camps will run through the summer and end in August.

Explore More Discovery Museum Summer Camps (Harrisonburg)
Half Day Camps: $135.00 (Members: $105.00)
Full Day Camps:  $270.00 (Members: $210.00)


Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum Summer Camps (Winchester)

Discovery Museum members : $125 half-day
Non-members: $145 half-day
Discount for attending 3+ camps!


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JMU Presents ONLINE Youth Programs (July)



JMU Professional & Continuing Education is providing opportunities for online camps and learning for kids, many of which are STEM-based! Please take a look at the following camps and programs starting in June 2020.

Science Explorers Camp
Using JMU's unique facilities such as the John C. Wells Planetarium, Science on a Sphere, among others, camp-goers will get to explore different areas of science, including biology, earth science, chemistry, forensic science, physics and astronomy and more!  We seek to inspire and excite the next generation. Science Explorers Camp will touch on topics covered in the former Space Explorers Camp, while introducing new concepts, activities, and STEM challenges. 

Full Day Camp (rising 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th grades)
July 6-10, 2020  Program Fee: $80.00

Full Day Camp (rising 5th, 6th, 7th, & 8th grades)
July 13-17, 2020 P
rogram Fee: $80.00



College for Kids | July 27-31, 2020 | Grades: Rising K-8th
College for Kids  provides an enriching, educational, and fun experience  for children in grades K-8. Students work with JMU faculty and graduate students, as well as experts from the community, to explore and discover talents they never knew they had! Classes include STEM topics such as A Dino-Mite STEM AdventureUncovering the Mysteries of Science, and MORE!

Registration Fees: 
1 Session (Am or PM) for the week $80.00,
2 Sessions (AM & PM) for the week $160.00

College for Kids registration, class details, and more information


To check out all Youth Programs, please visit  https://www.jmu.edu/pce/programs/all/youth-programs/index.shtml

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The 2020 Virginia Cybersecurity Education Conference will be held virtually on July 27-28th and will include two partial days of workshops, breakout sessions, and short talks focused on cybersecurity education and associated resources for educators and security professionals.

There will be a conference capture-the-flag competition, as well as birds-of-a-feather networking sessions and a late-afternoon happy hour. All registered participants will have access to the session recordings after the event.

Conference registration to Virginia high school and college faculty, as well as other Virginia state and federal employees, will be provided free of charge, and to others at a significantly reduced rate. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will also still be provided. The new virtual registration fees are:

VA State/Fed Employee Non-VA/Private Educator Industry Partner College Student
FREE $50 $75 $25

You must register to participate in the conference, even if the cost to you is free. 

Register for July 27-28 VA Cybersecurity Education Conference
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COVID-19 Resources & Local Open/Closed Businesses
 
During this uncertain time, we feel the need to share information that will help our readers monitor the current situation. Below we have linked several resources. 

We also recommend you take a look at the following article providing additional COVID-19 resources for economic development planning and recovery https://restoreyoureconomy.org/

Resources to monitor COVID-19 updates:
Open/closed businesses (& altered hours of operations) in the Shenandoah Valley:
Broadband Resources
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Virginian's ability to work, access healthcare and education, and has magnified the digital divide more than ever before. The Commonwealth Connect team has launched a webpage to provide information about what both the federal government and Virginia's ISPs are doing in response to the crisis. Please see: https://www.commonwealthconnect.virginia.gov/COVID-19


Business Resources
  • SBA's Disaster Loan is a program designed to help small businesses and non-profit organizations meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot otherwise be met as a direct result of COVID-19. The SV SBDC provides information and assistance in the loan preparation documents. To learn how to apply for the SBA EIDL: disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/Information. For assistance from the SVSBDC to apply see here: valleysbdc.org/covid-19.
  • Status of Building Officials' offices across the Commonwealth on VBCOA website
  • Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational RegulationCOVID-19 Update Page outlines regulated non-essential businesses that most close 
  • FEMA has a page on HOW TO HELP that gives contact information producing COVID-19 related products.  *Contact the SBDC office if you want more detail on the challenges of creating/manufacturing personal protective products, and we'll put you in touch with our International Trade Manager and other subject matter experts.
  • Virginia Rapid Response COVID-19 Business Support Initiative: The Shen Valley Workforce Development Board has received funding to assist employers eligible to remain open during emergency. Funds are reserved for small businesses. More information and application process at vcwvalley.com.

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COVID-19 Resources
Provided by the Shenandoah Valley Partnership
  
 
  
 
The Shenandoah Valley Partnership has provided an incredible list of helpful resources for our region. We have included a few of these links from their website, but we encourage you to take a look on their page, as they will be updating it routinely with additional resources. Please visit  https://theshenandoahvalley.com/covid-19-resources/ to view the entire list. 

Business Resources
Emergency Loan Programs

Small Business Administration (SBA)

Local Resources
Questions regarding finances? Reach out to your financial institution. Payment deferral programs exist at many banks for businesses and consumers.

State Resources
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Welcome Back Level III Member!
Steven Toyota

Steven Toyota will take care of all automobile needs. Whether it be sales, service, parts, or just to make a friend! Come see us today!


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Welcome Back Level I Member!
grep Innovation

grep Innovation LLC provides a variety of technology services including web application and software development, information security and forensics, UNIX wrangling, data telecommunications consulting and photography. A valley native, James Madison University alumnus and confessed serial entrepreneur, principal Ron Perry has a broad background in the research, development and implementation of technology, in the realms of engineering, media production, robotics, education, telecommunications, and entrepreneurship. He serves as a volunteer and adviser for a variety of organizations including Blue Ridge Community College, the Wildlife Center of Virginia and Wilson Workforce & Rehabilitation Center and is a founding board member of SVTC.


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Welcome Back Level I Member!
People Places

People Places is a non-profit agency that is dedicated to providing therapeutic services within the community and nurturing safe and lasting relationships for children and families. Our services support foster care, adoption, special education, and families in and around Staunton, Charlottesville and Harrisonburg.


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  • BidWrangler, Harrisonburg (Customer Success Team Member)
  • James Madison University IT Dept, Harrisonburg (Linux System Administrator )
  • Generate Impact, Harrisonburg (Tech Lead)
  • Segra, Waynesboro (IT Operations Technician)
  • Harrisonburg High School (Computer Science Teacher)
  • Augusta County Service Authority, Verona (Systems Analyst/Developer)
GOT ADDITIONAL JOBS THAT SHOULD BE PUBLICIZED ? SEND US A NOTE AND WE'LL PUBLICIZE THEM.
 
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Participate in the local tech conversation: Rocktown Tech (Slack)

Currently there are 18 channels and over 450 members. Sign-up

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SVTC MEMBERS INVITATION: DISPLAY YOUR MEMBERSHIP STATUS
Membership Badge Available 
 
Use our new graphic on your own website (and remember to link back to our website www. svtc-va.org !) 

Choose the graphic file of your choice:

Let us know when you incorporate this graphic and we'll mention your site in return!


Examples:
See how our Level I Members  grep Innovation, LLC displayed our membership badge on their  website!

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The Shenandoah Valley Technology Council does not endorse the companies, organizations, teams, or events mentioned, or take a stand on any of the articles or notices or events included.
 

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800 S. Main Street MSC 3615
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