It was 1991 and I was preparing for my first regional  marketing trip, Interphex, a pharmaceutical trade show in New York City. Medical and drug manufacturing equipment was a target for the Hampton Roads region and Virginia's competitive cost of doing business was a significant selling point. One of the key factoids in preparing my value proposition for the show was that Virginia is the northern most right-to-work state on the east coast. That fact resonates just as strongly today, on multiple levels, ranging from business climate rankings, to economic competitiveness.
VEDA has adopted a well-measured position of support for maintaining our right-to-work status and opposing legislation based on payment of a "fair share" by workers that effectively has the same end-result. Your leadership has also committed to meeting with key state legislators to share why maintaining our right-to-work status is so critical to sustaining Virginia's reputation as a top tier state to do business. A significant part of that message will be the long standing focus of Virginia's economic developers, on all levels, to recruit investment that provides better wages and benefits for our citizens.
I would like to thank everyone who participated in VEDA Day at the General Assembly, particularly David Manley (Joint IDA of Wythe County) and Ryan Touhill
(Alexandria Economic Development Partnership) for their leadership. With many new faces among our state legislators and their support staff, it is more important than ever that we, as professional economic developers continue to educate and advocate for the programs and funding that make Virginia the best state for business. A big shout out to Mike Woods (Troutman Sanders Strategies) for his continued support behind the scenes.
Lastly, thank you very much to those of you who offered congratulations on my new position with VEDA. The President of any organization is only as good as his members, which means we are going to have a great year!
Jim Noel
VEDA President
York County Economic Development
|
|
VEDA Spring Conference to be in Roanoke, March 11-13, 2020 - Registration open soon
|
The VEDA 2020 Spring Conference will be held March 11-13 at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center.
The Roanoke region is looking forward to hosting VEDA members and guests for the 2020 Spring Conference. The conference agenda promises to be exciting and filled with interesting topics including dynamic outdoor concepts, CEO insights, and why economic developers need a vision to win in the future.
Economic development organizations are increasingly working to develop performance based, results oriented strategies for their communities. One of the keys to maintaining Virginia's economic vibrancy is its ability to evaluate trends that impact growth throughout Virginia. As economic development professionals, we must continue to identify and map the trends that impact tomorrow.
Southeastern Institute of Research, Inc. founder and CEO John Martin will join us for lunch on Friday to discuss Trends Shaping the Future of Economic Development in Virginia.
Update your calendar and reserve your room today. Registration will be open soon. Pre-conference activities will
golf at a private course, biking on the Roanoke River Greenway, and much more!
Join us for an engaging review of how Virginia can compete successfully, and drive economic growth in the future.
While you are waiting for registration to open...
CLICK HERE to sign up for Golf at Hidden Valley Country Club.
Additional details and agenda coming very soon! Check out the
Spring Conference Web Page to see available information. Additional details coming soon!
|
The 7th annual Creative Give Back--Applications being accepted
|
|
What is your winning idea for 2020? Put your thinking cap on. Let your mind wander. Brainstorm. Come up with the best idea, and you'll win the 2020 Creative Give Back. The online application is now available. Your organization could win up to $25,000 of consulting services from Creative Economic Development Consulting. Applications are due February 21, 2020.
Creative Economic Development Consulting launched the Creative Give Back in 2014 as a way of giving back to the field of economic development and the communities they serve.
CLICK HERE to see the complete details on the Creative Give Back program.
 READ the 2019 Give Back Report: Waynesboro's Gateway Parkway Redevelopment Strategy & Marketing Plan.
The City of
Waynesboro's Give Back project creatively links the city's cultural and economic offerings with the natural splendor of Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway via what we called the Gateway Parkway. Waynesboro wanted a vision and plan to revitalize the corridor that connects the city to these nationally-known assets.
|
VEDA Professional Development Chair
Christina Winn
was named Executive Director of the Prince William County Department of Economic Development. Winn was previously with Arlington Economic Development.
They were recognized for their collaboration that secured Amazon's second headquarters for Northern Virginia.
 Mallory T. Tuttle
, an experienced economic development professional for the Hampton Roads region with a background in higher education, is now Associate Director for Virginia Tech's Hampton Roads Centers, an extension of Outreach and International Affairs. The Hampton Roads Centers are comprised of two facilities, one located in Newport News and the other in Virginia Beach.
|
Corporate Patron Spotlight
|
|
VEDA is fortunate to have the generous support of Annual Corporate Patrons who assist us in bringing great programming, scholarships, professional development opportunities and much more to VEDA members. If you have an opportunity, please thank them for their support of economic development in Virginia.
Appalachian Power
Appalachian Power serves about 1 million customers in West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee. Its headquarters is in Charleston, W. Va., with regulatory and external affairs offices in Charleston, W. Va., Richmond, Va. and in Roanoke, Va. Appalachian Power has been helping people, businesses and industries across our service territory grow and prosper for nearly 90 years. We work strategically with many organizations, communities and allies to provide smart and effective business opportunities to both prospective and existing businesses, industries and government entities. At Appalachian Power, we tailor our economic development location advisory services to suit your needs in locating or expanding your facilities. Appalachian Power is part of the American Electric Power system, one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP's headquarters is in Columbus, Ohio.
Bowman Consulting Group, Ltd.
 Bowman Consulting provides civil engineering, planning, surveying, environmental, landscape architecture, water/wastewater engineering, and transportation services to a variety of public and private markets throughout the United States. It also offers particular expertise in zoning, economic development and in land development/building regulations at the local, state and federal levels. The work of the firm includes commercial, industrial, educational, residential, retail, health care, recreational, utility, municipal, and federal projects. Bowman Consulting is headquartered just west of Washington, D.C. in Chantilly, Virginia.
Bowman Consulting delivers energy, infrastructure, and real estate solutions to public and private markets throughout the country. Outstanding client relationships and a focused growth strategy have allowed Bowman to anticipate the needs of the marketplace and respond to its demands through new service offerings, locations, and solutions. Bowman is an adept and energetic firm with a results-oriented attitude.
|
|
|
|
VEDA 2020 Events
2020 VEDA Spring Conference
Wednesday, March 11-Friday, March 13, 2020
Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center
Roanoke, Virginia
2020 VEDA Fall Conference
Wednesday, September 16-Friday, September 18, 2020
Membership Meeting Locations Coming Soon for June and December
Mark your calendar and plan on attending these economic development events in 2020!
|
|
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
President
James Noel
York County Office
of Economic Development
Vice President
Amanda Glover
Sapience, LLC
Treasurer
Steven Harrison
Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance
Secretary
David Manley
Joint IDA of Wythe County
Immediate Past President
Stephanie Landrum
Alexandria Economic Development Partnership
DIRECTORS
Traci Blido
Bedford County Economic Development
Paul Bryan
Froehling & Robertson
Voncile Gilbreath
Greater Williamsburg Partnership
Linda Green
Southern Virginia
Regional Alliance
John Kilgore
Scott County Economic Development
Courtland Robinson
Virginia Economic
Development Partnership
Curry Roberts
Fredericksburg Regional Alliance
RIck Whittington
Whittington Consulting
EX-OFFICIO
Russell Held
The Port of Virginia
Barry DuVal
Virginia Chamber of Commerce
Patrick Gottschalk
Williams Mullen
Erik Johnston
Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development
Jody Keenan
Virginia SBDC Network-George Mason University
Connie Long
Virginia Economic Developers Association
Stephen Moret
Virginia Economic Development Partnership
Sharon Morrisey
Virginia Community College System
|
| Community investment seminar |
|
Save the Date
Incentives:
A Community Investment Webinar
February 5, 2020
Time: 11:00am - 12:00pm
Presented by: Sanford Holshouser Economic Development Consulting and Research and Consulting Services LLC
|
| Federal extender bill passed |
The recent passing of Omnibus Appropriations Bill H.R.1865 (
H.R. 1865
) extends several tax provisions through the end of 2020, such as the Work Opportunity Tax Credit Program for employers hiring new employees, the Federal Empowerment Zone Program for businesses located in defined geographical areas across the country and the Federal Disaster Zone Employee Retention Tax Credit for businesses impacted by the storms of 2018, including most of eastern Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina businesses. This bill also makes some of these tax incentives retroactive.
|
|
 |
|
