The Shenandoah Valley Connection

December 3, 2021

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Glo Fiber Makes Further Expansion into James City County!

The expansion will bring multi-gigabit internet speeds to the historic Virginia Peninsula

EDINBURG, Va., Nov. 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Glo Fiber, powered by Shenandoah Telecommunications Company ("Shentel") (Nasdaq: SHEN), announced an agreement with James City County, VA to deploy next-generation

fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband services. Construction will begin in 2022 to deliver an all-fiber choice for high-speed, reliable service to over 20,000 homes and businesses. This expansion, coupled with recent plans to expand into the cities of Williamsburg and Suffolk, marks the company's commitment to building a future-proof network in the Tidewater Region.

"Access to modern, reliable broadband service is critical in today's society," said Scott Stevens, County Administrator

of James City County. "We are delighted that Shentel is providing their Glo Fiber to James City County which is supported by our Strategic Plan to provide modern infrastructure and technology systems."

Glo Fiber provides multi-gigabit internet access, streaming TV, and phone service in the Mid-Atlantic region, with optional wall-to-wall Wi-Fi service that allows customers to connect anywhere in their home or business. Wi-Fi is optimized

via automatic updates and intelligent routing that "learns" the layout of the building – enabling outstanding coverage during a time when connectivity is crucial. Glo internet pricing is all-inclusive with no additional fees or surcharges, excluding taxes.

"We continue to expand our coverage areas throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia with a mission to provide

future-proof, reliable internet service to underserved and growing communities," says Chris Kyle, Vice President of Industry and Regulatory Affairs at Shentel. "With a 100% fiber network, businesses and residents will be able to take advantage of high definition quality video, plus symmetrical download and upload speeds for virtual learning, video conferences, gaming, and e-commerce."

Glo Fiber leverages Shentel's 7,000-mile regional fiber network to ensure high speeds, low latency, and straightforward pricing. The company has been recognized for providing superior local customer service throughout its growing list of communities in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

To learn more about Glo Fiber, please visit www.glofiber.com.

For more information about Shentel, please visit www.shentel.com or call 1-800- SHENTEL (1-800-743-6835).

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December Events

This weekend! FIRST LEGO League (FLL) [Three, Two, One LEGO]

The Cargo Connect season is culminating in December. From building robots to solving cargo and supply chain issues, FLL teams (grades 3-8) have spent the last 8 or so weeks learning, building, coding, problem-solving and by early Dec. will compete at the VA-DC FLL (state) tournament - happening in Harrisonburg! And we would love for you to join us!

In-Person Robot Game

Teams from across the state will come together at Harrisonburg High School for the exciting Robot Game.

Join the teams from across the state:

Saturday, December 4, 2021
from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Sunday, December 5, 2021
from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

What is FIRST LEGO League (FLL)?

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Pre-Legislative Session Forum

December 7, 2021 | 10: 00 am - 11:30am | JMU Hartman Hall

Cost: $10.00 (members) and $15.00 (non-members)

Register for the joint annual SVTC & HRCC annual pre-legislative forum as we discuss the recent election results and what that means for the upcoming Virginia legislative session. Our area’s legislators have been invited, and we will hear from two well-informed speakers, Nicole Riley , Virginia director of the Small Business Association , and Kyle Shreve , Executive Director, of the Virginia Agribusiness Council

Event Sponsors

Nicole Riley

NFIB Virginia State Director

Nicole Riley is a native of Augusta County and holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Roanoke College.

She was appointed state director for NFIB Virginia in 2011. As State Director, Riley represents the interests of NFIB Virginia members before the General Assembly, the Governor’s Office, and state agencies as well as serving as the organization’s media spokesperson. Riley oversees NFIB’s grassroots activism, political involvement, and member development efforts throughout the Commonwealth.

Prior to her appointment, she previously worked as a contract lobbyist in the Richmond office of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC.

She also served as Special Assistant for Legislative Affairs for former Attorney Generals Jerry Kilgore and Bob McDonnell. She began her career as a Legislative Assistant to Delegate Steve Landes.

In 2011, Governor McDonnell appointed her to serve as a member of the Virginia Small Business Commission. Currently, she volunteers as Immediate Past Chairman of the Board for the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP), the Board for the Virginia 4-H Foundation, and the board for 2810 – A Community Gathering Place established by her church, Area 10 Faith Community.

Kyle Shreve

Executive Director

Virginia Agribusiness Council

Kyle Shreve currently serves as the Executive Director for the Virginia Agribusiness Council, where he represents the Council’s diverse membership of businesses in both the agriculture and forestry industries. He holds a decade of trade association experience including representing the International Dairy Foods Association, Virginia Retail Merchants Association, and the Virginia Association of Health Plans.

Kyle is originally from Pennsylvania and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and History from The Pennsylvania State University. He moved to Northern Virginia in 2008 to begin his six-year tenure at the International Dairy Foods Association, focusing on legislative affairs at the federal level.

Soon after receiving his Master of Professional Studies in Political Management from George Washington University, Kyle moved to Richmond to work with the Virginia Retail Merchants Association as the Director of Government Affairs. He served in the role of Director of Policy at the Virginia Association of Health Plans prior to transitioning to the Virginia Agribusiness Council in May of 2018. Kyle lives in Midlothian with his wife Christie and their sons, Bennett and Connor.

Reap the ROI with Women in Tech Webinar

Women in Tech Leaders

Moderator

Leasa Neaves (’92)

Women for Madison Executive Advisory Council member Senior Director, Global Enablement and Activation, Dell Synergy Team, VMware

Panelists

Britaini Carroll (’98)

Federal Human Capital Practice Lead, Accenture

Christine Cruzvergara (’05)

Chief Education Strategy Officer, Handshake

Krista Salmon (’99)

U.S. Government Sales Leader, Apple

Student Spotlight

Joyce Muya (’22)

Computer Information Systems major

Thursday, December 9, 2021 | 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Gain some real insights and know-how from top alumni tech leaders at our lunchtime webinar hosted by Women for Madison for the JMU community. All are welcome!

You won't want to miss this compelling conversation with some of JMU's amazing women-in-tech leaders.

By joining this webinar, you will be able to:

Discuss the challenges and opportunities of forging career paths in this ever-growing industry.
Learn how female students and alumni can successfully navigate and win in this traditionally male-dominated sector.
Hear how the technology landscape is changing, what that means for everyone, and even how it will affect the way we live.

Computer Science Education Week 2021

(December 6th -10th)

This year’s Computer Science Education Week

is coming up quickly from December 6th to the 10th!

Focused on data science and #MeMyDataAndI,

this year CodeVA is hosting an online LAUNCH event

along with an entire virtual week of speakers,

family nights, kids activities, competitions,

and professional learning sessions for educators.

We can’t wait to explore data science with you!

Full Schedule

Computer Science Educator of the Year

Every year CodeVA recognizes an outstanding computer science educator from the state of Virginia at Computer Science Education Week. This year, we will be recognizing not just one, but six educators!

If you know an outstanding K-12 ITRT/Coach/support personnel, administrator, or Pre-K-12th grade educator who goes above and beyond with CS, we want to hear from you! View Criteria

Nominate a coworker, friend, or just an educator you happen to know below!

Submit Nomination

Student's Unplugged Adventures!

Join Eureka instructors on the third Saturday

of each month for STEAM-themed fun!

Unplugged Adventures are arts-integrated classes

for elementary and middle school students.

This program is part of CodeVA's mission

to introduce kids to computer science

in an engaging and accessible way.

Exploring Bitcoin Mining and the Fundamentals of Digital Gold

SVTC Luncheon December 16, 2021

11:45 am - 11:00 pm | Location TBA

Join Scott Hancock, co-founder, and chairman of the board of Specter Mining, a leading distributor of blockchain and cryptocurrency mining computers in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Hancock will discuss controversial topics such as renewable energy, hedging against fiat currencies, HODL’ing, Proof of Work (POW), and preventing wasted flare energy from hurting the environment.

Choose the Location!

This luncheon could take place at several locations:

Option 1: In-person at the Wood Grill

Option 2: Virtually over Zoom

Option 3: A hybrid luncheon where some of us gather in person and we’ll stream the presentation portion.

Take the one-question survey, linked below, and give your opinion on whether to gather in-person vs. remote or streaming for the SVTC December 2021 and January 2022 luncheons?

1-question SURVEY

Scott Hancock has more than 15 years of experience in driving revenue for high-tech start-up businesses and technology resellers, and 4 years of being in the cryptocurrency mining industry. Scott moved to the Valley from downtown Denver about 2 years ago to be closer to his (6-year-old) daughter Adeline and is excited to share his experiences and knowledge from the Crypto Mining industry with the Shenandoah Valley tech community.

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Membership Welcome!

Welcome New Level III Member!

Specter Mining

Specter Mining is a leading distributor of blockchain

and cryptocurrency mining equipment founded and headquartered in Harrisonburg, Virginia. In an industry that grows with speed and passion often compared to the Wild West, Specter offers a refreshing approach to equipment procurement. We use the principles of product-neutral solutions,

a customer-centric approach, and rapid communication turnaround to establish credibility and reliability with our clients. We have set strategic long-term goals for how our company

can best serve our customers, and we take pride in Specter’s ability to constantly evolve to meet and exceed those goals.

The small Specter Mining team is a tight-knit, 100% USA-based team, boasting 20+ years of management and sales experience between all of our partners. Specter aims to become the Ingram Micro of our industry. As Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies see increased adoption, miners and node runners deserve the more transparent and multi-channeled option for their equipment procurement needs to be provided by Specter.

Visit the Membership Profile for more information!

Welcome Back Level III Member!

Rockingham Insurance

Rockingham Insurance is a property & casualty insurance company providing coverage for homes, autos, farms, rental properties, and businesses. Rockingham Insurance includes; Rockingham Insurance Company, Rockingham Casualty Company, Rockingham Specialty, Inc.,

and Rockingham Mutual Service Agency. Headquartered

in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Rockingham Insurance is eligible to write business in all fifty states. For well over 150 years, Rockingham has been insuring the people and companies that make our community grow and thrive. Rockingham holds an “A” Excellent rating with A.M. Best Company,

a highly regarded assessor of insurance companies’ financial and management stability.

Visit the Membership Profile for more information!