SportsQuest to Break Ground on Indoor Sports & Fitness Center

Facility includes 250,000 sq ft of Court Sports, Olympic Pool & Fitness Center Programs

SportsQuest took a major step forward today as the company revealed plans to break ground this week on what has been described as a premium jewel of their West Campus. The impressive building will allow SportsQuest members to enjoy another 13 sports and fitness center activities. The announcement is already sparking attention from Olympic, Professional and Amateur sports groups around the country.

Spectacular Home for Sports Training. With 15 basketball courts underway, Tony Tucker, one of the top basketball trainers in the world recently moved to Chesterfield County to direct the SportsQuest basketball program. “Top NBA players are making commitments to support training at SportsQuest,” remarked Tucker. “If you are an up and coming basketball player, who wants to maximize your game, you need to train with Tony Tucker,” said Chauncey Billups, NBA Player with the Denver Nuggets, “It’s been a great advantage working with Tony throughout my career.” Billups’ personal success is a testament to SportsQuest training programs as Billups’ training with Tucker has been credited as one of the reasons he was the 3rd player selected in the NBA Draft.

Major Platform for Sports Tournaments. The AAU, the largest youth sports group in the country, is the first sports group to take advantage of the facility by awarding SportsQuest a 20-year commitment for the AAU National Sports Festival. This tournament will be held annually at SportsQuest over a nine day period the last two weeks in June. “The first event is scheduled June 18-26, 2010 and will include over 20 sports,” said Travis Bullock, Governor of Virginia AAU, “our National Sports Festival held at SportsQuest should become one of the largest youth sporting events in the country.” Facility access throughout Richmond is expected to augment the SportsQuest campus spreading the regional benefits. The event will be energized by AAU National marketing to its approximately 600,000 athlete members and is projected to bring over 100,000 players, team supporters, and family members annually to greater Richmond. Sports Tourism economists project the economic impact to bring well over $10 million annually to the greater Richmond region during the nine day event.

Olympic Interests in SportsQuest continues. Recent Olympic visitors were seven senior leaders of Olympic, National Team, and youth Club programs at USA Field Hockey, including Steve Locke, Executive Director, Lee Bodimeade, National Women’s Team Coach, Laura Darling, Olympic and Athlete Development Managing Director, and Karen Collins, Director of Events. “Dr. Burton’s energy is boundless, and he has created a spectacular venue unlike anything I have seen in this country,” said Locke, “the fields are spectacular and the uniqueness of the property is provided through the inclusion of significant sports science, sports medicine, and high tech enhancements.” The announcement falls on the one-year anniversary of the SportsQuest’s Olympic Sports Summit, which attracted over 1,100 local residents and was the largest collection of Olympic Governing Bodies to ever assemble in our region.

The Olympic Pool, Cardio, Strength & Aerobic Fitness Center is going to drive expanded aquatics programming for competitive swimming, water polo and synchronized swimming. It will also provide excellent state-of-the-art fitness and family entertainment for thousands of Family, Couple and Single Campus Members who have decided to make SportsQuest their fitness, sports, and entertainment site.

Professional Sports Venue. The facility will also become the home for SportsQuest Professional Sports like the Richmond Revolution, who are entering the 2nd season after a record setting 13-1 season and winning IFL franchise of the year. Intimate seating for over 3,000 people will create a unique and outstanding experience for our fans to enjoy a wide range of professional indoor sports.

Ground Broken for Bon Secours St. Francis at Watkins Centre

Bon Secours has celebrated the start of Chesterfield’s newest health-care facility, Bon Secours St. Francis Watkins Centre. The new project will bring an influx of capital investment, 150 new jobs to northwest Chesterfield County and increased availability of ambulatory services for the county’s fast growing population.

St. Francis Watkins Centre will include the area’s only freestanding emergency department as well as an imaging center and physician office space. The new Bon Secours campus will be located at the corner of Route 288 and Midlothian Turnpike, just 4.5 miles from Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center.

“Bon Secours has received tremendous support from Chesterfield County and its residents and we are pleased to serve the community,” said Peter J. Bernard, CEO of Bon Secours Virginia. “Five years ago we made a significant commitment to the county with the opening of St. Francis Medical Center. Our expectation is that residents will welcome the services of Watkins Centre as they did our hospital.”

St. Francis Watkins Centre is located in the northwest part of the county, and will service three large residential and commercial areas of Chesterfield, as well as Powhatan, Amelia, Goochland and western Henrico counties.

The facility will be built in phases, with Phase I consisting of 100,000 square feet of space that includes a freestanding emergency department, a comprehensive diagnostic imaging center and a physician medical office building which will house primary care, obstetrics and gynecology and internal medicine physician practices.

When Phase II is completed, the total medical campus will consist of some 200,000 square feet of space. Plans for Phase II are still under development.

“An important part of any community is making certain that quality health care is readily available to its citizens,” said Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling. “The construction of Bon Secours St. Francis Watkins Centre will do just that with a free standing emergency department, imaging center and physician office space. But, this project is also important to our economic development efforts. It will result in significant capital investment in Chesterfield County and create 150 new jobs. We appreciate the strong contribution that our friends at Bon Secours have made to the Commonwealth over the years, and we are delighted that they continue to invest in our state.”

According to Chesterfield Country officials, the Midlothian area surrounding the Watkins Centre is expected to grow significantly in 10 years, creating a need for more medical services to accommodate the growing population.

“The health care industry is one of our primary economic development target markets,” said Daniel A. Gecker, chairman of the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors. “The economic impact of St. Francis Watkins Centre will be significant for Chesterfield; not only are we adding accessible, quality health care, but the number of jobs the project will generate is substantial.”

The project is scheduled to begin in the coming weeks, with a completion date for Phase I scheduled for late 2011.

Bon Secours is a not-for-profit Catholic health system with four hospitals in the greater Richmond metropolitan area; St. Mary’s, Memorial Regional, Richmond Community Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center, as well as Bon Secours Medical Group which is composed of more than 40 physician practice groups, home health and hospice.




In this photo from left to right:

The Honorable Daniel A. Gecker,
Chairman, Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors

Mr. Malcolm S. Sina,
CEO, The DASCO Companies, LLC

Mr. Peter J. Bernard,
CEO, Bon Secours Virginia Health System

The Honorable Bill Bolling,
Lieutenant Governor of Virginia

Sister Anne Marie Mack, CBS
Senior Vice President Sponsorship, Bon Secours Richmond Health System

The Honorable John C. Watkins,
State Senator of Virginia

Merit Medical Systems to Expand Operations in Chesterfield

Governor McDonnell Announces 75 New Jobs in Chesterfield County

Governor Bob McDonnell announced today that Merit Medical Systems, Inc., a leading manufacturer and marketer of proprietary disposable medical devices, will invest $1 million to expand its operations in Chesterfield County. The project will create 75 new jobs.

“Merit Medical Systems has become a nationally recognized name since its founding nearly 25 years ago,” said Governor McDonnell. “The company has found success in Chesterfield County since 2004. Despite today’s challenging economic times, Merit Medical continues to serve market demand, which allows the company to grow. I am pleased that this expansion will bring 75 new jobs that perform a vital service for the healthcare industry.”

“As Merit Medical System’s sole Virginia operation, Chesterfield County provides the company with great access to its east coast market,” said Jim Cheng, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “In addition to a strong local workforce, the company benefits from its strategic location.”

Founded in 1987, Merit Medical Systems, Inc., is engaged in the development, manufacture and distribution of proprietary disposable medical devices used in interventional and diagnostic procedures, particularly in cardiology, radiology and gastroenterology. Merit serves client hospitals worldwide with a domestic and international sales force totaling approximately 125 individuals. Merit employs approximately 2,170 people worldwide, with facilities in Salt Lake City and South Jordan, Utah; Angleton, Texas; Richmond, Virginia; Maastricht and Venlo, The Netherlands; Paris, France; Galway, Ireland; Beijing, China; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Rockland, Massachusetts.

“We are excited to expand our operations in Chesterfield County, where we have found highly-skilled employees and great access to the East Coast,” said Fred P. Lampropoulos, Merit’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Our business there is thriving even in these uncertain economic times.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Chesterfield County and the Greater Richmond Partnership to secure the project for Virginia. Through its Virginia Jobs Investment Program, the Virginia Department of Business Assistance (VDBA) will provide funding and services to support the company's recruitment and training activities.

“We are so pleased when one of our existing businesses expands”, said Dan Gecker, Chairman of the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors. “It demonstrates that they have found Chesterfield County to be a profitable business environment, and it certainly gives us a keen appreciation for their continued growth. We congratulate Merit Medical on their success and thank them for their investment and job creation.”

Video Slideshow of Meadowville Interchange Groundbreaking

NBC 12 Covers Meadowville Interchange Groundbreaking

Ben Garbarek of NBC 12 covers the groundbreaking ceremony with a news segment.



View the video or read the story on the NBC12.com web site.

Chesterfield Breaks Ground for $17M Meadowville Interchange

The Virginia Department of Transportation and Chesterfield County, assisted by Congressman J. Randy Forbes, Curtis Contracting, Inc. and the Chesterfield County business community, conducted a groundbreaking ceremony today to commemorate the start of work on the Meadowville Road interchange that will link Interstate 295 to the Meadowville Technology Park.

The project is the result of a successful partnership between the Federal, State, Local governments and the Chesterfield business community, resulting in the funding for this $17 million project. As supported by the business community a portion of the business license tax collection will be used to pay part of the County funding of the project. The project is projected to create 1,100 jobs during construction.

The interchange will serve the 1,300 acre Meadowville Technology Park one of the premiere economic development sites in the state. The property is marketed to business prospects around the world.

VDOT is managing the project and construction will be completed next fall.

Generating new jobs key to county’s economic recovery

By Will Davis
DIRECTOR, CHESTERFIELD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

This year (2010) has been a challenging but very exciting time for the Chesterfield Economic Development Department. In a recovering economy, our team has worked hard to capture a wide variety of new business projects. These projects will generate jobs and investment in our community that will help improve the business climate for everyone.

We were delighted that DuPont announced it will build its new $20 million manufacturing facility for Energain Separators right here in Chesterfield. These nanofiber-based separators will help generate more power and longer battery life for hybrid and electric vehicles. This project is a perfect example of a “green” industry, which is an important component of our advanced manufacturing target-marketing program.

DuPont could have chosen to build this new operation in any number of other localities. Due to the nature of the operation, competition among communities to land the project was fierce. But DuPont picked Chesterfield because of the tremendous local work force and the success it has achieved at its other Chesterfield operations.

Austin Brockenbrough & Associates also recently expanded into new offices at the Boulders. This expansion resulted in a $700,000 investment and the creation of 11 new jobs. The Brockenbrough office is the first “green” certified interior design in the Greater Richmond region and the only private sector interior design project in Chesterfield County to earn the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Commercial Interiors (LEED CI) certification. This investment reflects Brockenbrough’s commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability.

However, recruiting new business and assisting existing businesses is not enough. The biggest job creators in the county are small businesses. So we are making it easier for entrepreneurs to start and grow new businesses in Chesterfield.

In September, Chesterfield Economic Development and the Chesterfield County Public Library partnered to launch the new small business initiative, “My Business Starts Here.” Local business operators now have an easier, more comprehensive way to get the information and support they need when starting or sustaining a small business. A new web portal, www.MyBusinessStartsHere.com, helps potential entrepreneurs and existing small businesses navigate the abundant resources available. Users can be guided, step-by-step, through the process of starting a business, zero in on industry specific requirements, ask specific questions about doing business in the county, get guidance about regulations or county processes or identify potential sources of capital.

The Chesterfield County Public Library’s new Small Business Resource Center is designed with the small-business operator’s needs in mind. The center can be used as a second office, a meeting place, a staff- training facility or a research lab. Desktops, laptops, current books and magazines and a variety of small-business tools are available – guided, step-by-step, through the process of starting a business, zero in on industry specific requirements, ask specific questions about doing business in the county, get guidance about regulations or county processes or identify potential sources of capital.

The Chesterfield County Public Library’s new Small Business Resource Center is designed with the small-business operator’s needs in mind. The center can be used as a second office, a meeting place, a staff- training facility or a research lab. Desktops, laptops, current books and magazines and a variety of small-business tools are available – all free of charge. Users can also receive one- on-one assistance from professional librarians or economic development staff. The first Small Business Resource Center opened within the Meadowdale Library branch but future plans include additional centers in other libraries and locations throughout Chesterfield County.

We are beginning to see hopeful signs of recovery in our local economy. With the expansion and growth of our existing businesses and an easier path to starting a business, business really does start and grow in Chesterfield County!

This article originally appeared in www.chesterfieldobserver.com .

Garden Ridge Opens in Chesterfield Towne Center

Garden Ridge will open the doors of it's new home decor store in Chesterfield Towne Center today. The 109,933 square foot store will occupy the former Dillard's space between J.C. Penney and Sears.

This store will be the first that Garden Ridge has opened in a traditional shopping mall. The retail operation will add home furnishings and home decor to the product mix offered in Chesterfield Towne Center.

The Garden Ridge store is located on the north end of the mall near Koger Center Boulevard. Just across the street, site work and construction of a new Costco Wholesale warehouse continues.

SportsQuest and Richmond Strikers Announce Soccer Partnership

Focus will be to expand National Tournament Series for Youth and Adult Soccer

For over 30 years the Richmond Strikers have been building a soccer tournament series that today brings about 50,000 people and over ten million dollars of economic impact and 15,000 hotel room reservations to the greater Richmond area every year. Their nationally ranked Jefferson CupTM soccer tournament is already widely recognized by youth soccer clubs, college coaches, and Nike Soccer as one of the penultimate tournaments for high performance soccer teams. The agreement announced today provides for an exclusive 10‐year tournament partnership between SportsQuest and Strikers, who now collectively own and operate the largest platform of soccer fields in the world as well as an operational team perfectly positioned to create similar nationally recognized tournaments for mid‐level youth travel teams, recreational youth teams, and adult teams.

“It was a natural fit and a genuine strategic opportunity to energize our already nationally recognized youth tournament series,” stated Scott Turner, Striker’s Executive Director, “SportsQuest’s expertise in family entertainment, sport development capabilities, and outstanding campus will enhance the services that we offer to families who travel to our soccer tournaments and provide us with enough synthetic turf fields to avoid having to cancel a tournament due to inclement weather. Our partnership will also dramatically increase club revenues used to fund our not‐for‐profit mission to provide high quality soccer programming to youth of all ages and abilities.”

“We were tremendously excited when Scott approached us with the proposal to partner with the Strikers on soccer tournaments,” remarked Steve Burton, SportsQuest CEO, “the Striker partnership provides our business model immediate credibility and is the first of many similar partnership announcements SportsQuest will be making over the next few months.” Turner and Burton reported that the leadership and governing Boards of both the Strikers and SportsQuest voted unanimously to approve the tournament partnership.

Dan Gecker, Chairman of Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors and a strong supporter of SportsQuest, stated, "we are delighted with the partnership between SportsQuest and Strikers to bring tournaments to the SportsQuest venue; it is consistent with our desire to promote sports tourism in Chesterfield County.” Gecker added, “we expect that this is the first of many announcements of top‐quality events coming to the SportsQuest site."

The agreement allows the Strikers and SportsQuest to combine their efforts to develop a platform of excellent soccer programming and family entertainment over a proposed annual series of five soccer tournaments that will ultimately bring over 100,000 people to the greater Richmond area during eight weekends each year.

Turner and Burton both emphasized that their existing agreement is focused singularly on tournaments and does not affect the Strikers current structure or programming, nor does it preclude SportsQuest from partnering with other local youth soccer clubs for league play and sport development programs. “We look forward to continued discussions with the Chesterfield youth soccer clubs,” stated Tim O’Sullivan, Executive Director of SportsQuest Soccer, “we are dedicated to delivering quality soccer at all levels.”

Chesterfield Launches "My Business Starts Here"

Chesterfield Economic Development (CED) and Chesterfield County Public Library (CCPL) unveiled their new small business initiative, "My Business Starts Here", at Meadowdale Library, 4301 Meadowdale Boulevard, on September 1st.

Local business operators will have an easier, more comfortable, more comprehensive way to get the information and support they need when starting or sustaining a small business in Chesterfield County. The departments were joined by county leaders, local entrepreneurs, and the community, who were the first to access Economic Development's new web portal, MyBusinessStartsHere.com, in the library's new Small Business Resource Center.

The web portal was designed to help potential entrepreneurs navigate the abundant resources available to help start and sustain a small business in Chesterfield County. Users are guided, step-by-step, through the process of starting a business; can zero in on industry specific requirements, can ask specific questions about doing business in Chesterfield County; or can identify potential sources of capital.

Chesterfield County Public Library's Small Business Resource Center was designed with the small-business operator's needs in mind. The center can be used as a second office, a meeting place, a staff-training facility, or a research lab. Desktops and laptops are available to the public, as are current books and magazines and a variety of small-business tools - all free of charge. Users can access the best of the web as chosen by professional librarians, in addition to receiving one-on-one assistance with their business research.

"While there are already a multitude of resources available for small businesses, getting the right help can be challenging" says Jim Holland, Board of Supervisor for the Dale District. "This new initiative eliminates the difficulty potential entrepreneurs experience in getting started and getting help, by providing a coordinated approach to fulfilling their needs."

Individuals can access the new portal from home, or from any Chesterfield County Public Library location. For more information contact Karen Aylward at 804-318-8550 or Karen@chesterfieldbusiness.com.

Lingerfelt Development to Construct $25M OrthoVirginia Building

Lingerfelt Development Breaks Ground for the $25 million OrthoVirginia Building in the Boulders Office Park in Chesterfield County

Two quality regional healthcare organizations, West End Orthopaedic Clinic and HCA Virginia’s CJW Medical Center, along with Richmond-based developer Lingerfelt Development announce the groundbreaking for the OrthoVirginia Building, the region’s first-of-its-kind, $25 million, two-story, 70,000 sq. ft. medical facility specializing in orthopaedics and sports medicine treatment and rehabilitation. This new building will provide an estimated 180 construction jobs to Chesterfield County.

This initiative brings together highly skilled talents of leading orthopaedic specialists in sports, hand, knee and hip, spine, and pediatrics, as well as sports medicine and outpatient surgery in one technologically innovative building. The team of physicians and administrators recognized this opportunity to provide a regional resource for focused orthopaedic diagnostics, repair and rehabilitation that complements Central Virginia’s highest standards for specialty healthcare, with greater cost efficiency and a more convenient central location for the community and patients.

The project will complement existing West End Orthopaedic Clinic office locations on every major hospital campus in Richmond. The local talent of Lingerfelt Development has been selected to develop this regional, state-of-the-art, technologically advanced medical facility. Lingerfelt will seek LEED certification for this project’s green building design and operation. With ground broken this week, completion is scheduled for summer 2011.

“We’re very excited about this new state-of-the-art facility that offers the community and the region an extraordinary resource for orthopaedic specialties and rehabilitation services allowing patients to be conveniently treated in one location. Adding to our Network of Orthopaedic Specialists, this comprehensive, fully digital facility will offer minimally invasive surgery, electronic patient files, physician records and xrays,” stated West End Orthopaedic Clinic Administrator James Perkins.

“CJW Sports Medicine has been serving athletes in this community for more than 20 years and we are excited that we will be moving our team into this advanced facility,” said Tony Hayes, VP Business Development, CJW Medical Center. “We are also proud to be offering a sophisticated outpatient surgery center in this convenient location.” The development, placed at the entrance to the Boulders Corporate Park at the intersection of Chippenham Parkway and Jahnke Road in Chesterfield County, will continue to provide the community with specialized sports rehabilitation services under the direction of Dr. Douglas Cutter. Critical to selecting this location is accessibility and proximity to the major healthcare facility of Chippenham Hospital. The new facility will offer access via Chippenham Parkway, Powhite Parkway and Midlothian Turnpike, and is just eight minutes from downtown Richmond.

The teams looked for local development talent and selected Lingerfelt (LingerfeltCo.com) to construct the facility. Three generations of the Lingerfelt family have been developing in this area for over 50 years, encompassing over 10,000,000 s.f. of medical and professional office, industrial, retail, elderly housing, and multi-family developments in the eastern United States including Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland and Illinois. Their history of fast-track development success enables them to deliver a development on time and on budget consistently, project after project.

“The economic development team at Chesterfield County was extremely helpful in moving this development forward and assists us in delivering a quality project on time,” stated Ryan Lingerfelt, Principal, Lingerfelt Development. “We are certainly pleased that West End Orthopaedic Clinic and HCA Virginia’s CJW Medical Center have chosen Chesterfield County for their new medical offices. Developed by Lingerfelt Development, this new 70,000 s.f. facility in the Boulders Office Park is a testament to the continued commitment from our medical community and to Chesterfield County as a ‘First Choice’ business location,” said Jay Stegmaier, County Adminstrator for Chesterfield County.

Lingerfelt has selected architectural firm Price Studios, construction firm Hourigan Construction and engineering firm Rummel, Klepper & Kahl as part of the team to work on this development project.

Governor McDonnell Announces $20 Million DuPont Facility in Chesterfield County

Company Will Manufacture State of the Art Components of Lithium Ion Batteries for Electric Vehicles

Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that DuPont will invest $20 million to establish a facility in Chesterfield County to make the first nanofiber-based polymeric separators for high-performance lithium ion batteries for electric vehicles and many other potential commercial uses.

The facility, an early commercial-scale plant to produce the new material for this growing market, will be located at a leased building in Chesterfield County and will begin operations in early 2011. Virginia successfully competed against a number of other locations for the project.

"DuPont is a science leader and a major employer in the Commonwealth. The company has been in Chesterfield County since 1929 and this exciting new battery technology facility will continue DuPont's history of innovation in the Commonwealth of Virginia. We are committed to helping our existing employers expand their operations in the Commonwealth. This announcement is positive news for our economy, and for the competitiveness of Chesterfield County and the entire Commonwealth in the global marketplace," said Governor McDonnell.

The facility will further refine and develop DuPont™ Energain™ separators, a nanofiber-based material that improves safety by allowing high-performance lithium-ion batteries to operate at higher temperatures and can increase power up to 30 percent.

"DuPont™ Energain™ separators will be key to battery manufacturers making huge advances in lithium-ion batteries," said Thomas G. Powell, President, DuPont Protection Technologies. "DuPont enjoys a great, long-term partnership with Virginia and the technology development it enables enhances our presence here as a major employer."

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Chesterfield County to secure the project for Virginia. The company is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.

"It gives Chesterfield County great pleasure to partner with our largest private employer on this exciting and innovative project. DuPont is one of our oldest businesses and we are delighted that they continue to choose Chesterfield County as the location to grow and prosper," said Dan Gecker, Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors Chairman.

DuPont™ and Energain™ are trademarks of DuPont.

Governor McDonnell Welcomes Sabra Dipping Company to Chesterfield

Cuts Ribbon at Company's New State-of-the-Art Manufacturing Plant



Governor Bob McDonnell traveled to Chesterfield today for the official ribbon cutting ceremony opening Sabra Dipping Company's new food manufacturing plant. The plant will make Sabra branded dips and spreads, including the country's best-selling Sabra hummus and vegetable dips. The opening of the plant will create 260 new jobs. Sabra's decision to move to Virginia was announced by former Governor Tim Kaine in November 2008.

Speaking about today's ribbon cutting ceremony Governor McDonnell noted, "I want to thank my predecessor, Governor Tim Kaine, for his successful effort to bring this great international company to Virginia. Working with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Kaine Administration was aggressive and proactive in convincing Sabra to choose the Commonwealth over two other states that were under consideration for this same project. The result is 260 new jobs in the Richmond/Tri-Cities area, and this Administration was pleased to be a part of the finalization of the venture over the last few months. I look forward to working with Sabra in the years ahead, and I welcome this great corporate partner to Virginia. As Governor I will be vigilant in ensuring that the Commonwealth remains a great, pro-business host for Sabra and all our job-creating employers. We will do that by keeping taxes low, regulations and litigation at a minimum and putting in place the policies our private sector employers need in order to grow and be successful. The number one priority of our Administration is job creation, and today is another positive step forward in this effort."

Chesterfield County wishes to congratulate Sabra Dipping Company on the occasion of their grand opening and thanks them for their commitment to Chesterfield. As Sabra begins manufacturing at its state-of-the-art food processing plant in Chesterfield County, the company will begin to see benefits from locating within the county. Sabra will produce award-winning Sabra branded dips and spreads including the country’s best-selling Sabra hummus and vegetable dips.

The 110,000 square foot facility on 49 acres in the Ruffin Mill Industrial Park is located in the Walthall Enterprise Zone. The Enterprise Zone enables the company to take advantage of numerous local and State benefits such as; waved permitting fees, utility discounts, tax rebates, job creation grants and real property investment grants.

The plant was built using the county’s “Fast Track” Project Review process and enabled the company to get underway quickly to meet their projected time line. Constant contact with the company’s development team, and the site and building review teams in Chesterfield County, helped resolve issues quickly and efficiently keeping the company on tract to meet their scheduled opening.

To staff the facility, Sabra is taking advantage of Chesterfield's large and diverse labor pool. The new plant is able to take advantage of a skilled labor pool of approximately 653,000+ people in the region to fill the 260 available positions.

These advantages, both tangible and intangible, helped Chesterfield County attract a high profile international company who is the top brand in the growing dips category. Sabra Dipping Company is jointly owned by Strauss Ltd and PepsiCo. The Sabra joint venture draws on both Strauss Group and Frito-Lay North America’s marketplace expertise to continue building this growing business. Frito-Lay is a business unit of PepsiCo. This will be the first new facility built since the formation of the Sabra Dipping Company joint venture.

In addition to Chesterfield Economic Development; Sabra was assisted in the site selection and development process by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Virginia Jobs Investment Program, the Virginia Gateway Region and the Greater Richmond Partnership.

Chesterfield County is pleased to welcome Sabra as an important part of our business community and pledges to continue to do everything possible to help the company grow and benefit from locating in Chesterfield.

2010 First Choice Business Award Winners Announced

Chesterfield County Announces 2010 First Choice Business Award Winners at Annual Celebrate Chesterfield Business! Event

Village Bank President and CEO Tom Winfree, center, accepts the Business of the Year award from Bermuda District Supervisor Dorothy Jaeckle, County Administrator James J. L. Stegmaier, Matoaca District Supervisor Marleen Durfee and Economic Development Director Will Davis. The annual business awards event was held at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Chester. Awards were determined by a committee of business operators in the county.

Each year Chesterfield County honors local companies that contribute to the county’s economy and its citizens through the annual First Choice Business Awards. The intent is to give recognition to businesses that consistently contribute to the community by giving back to the residents of Chesterfield County through community service, that create and deliver products or services that are innovative to its customers, is a leader in valuing its employees, and upholds the principles and standards of ethical business practices.

This year’s First Choice Business Award winners were announced at the annual Celebrate Chesterfield Business! appreciation event held on May 19, 2010.

The Innovation Impact Award winner was Alliance Engineering, Inc. They seized the challenging economic climate as an opportunity to develop an innovative strategy diverse from their traditional client base. Their new initiative, Alliance Biosciences, allows for their team to collaborate on multi-discipline projects in a diverse field, in the combating of infectious disease.

Flagstop Corporation was the winner of the Employee Impact Award. Flagstop sets high standards for their employees and they rise to occasion. Their team provides exceptional customer service. Employees are rewarded with bonuses, profit sharing, and top quality training and professional development opportunities.

The Environmental Stewardship Award is new this year and is designed to recognize a Chesterfield County business, which has successfully displayed their efforts in being a responsible protector of the environment. This year’s winner, Southern RV, held environmental education clinics with over 470 attendees. The company has an aggressive recycling program for oil, batteries and paper. Company staff also takes pride in maintaining the appearance of their site by keeping it clean of trash and debris.

The 2010 First Choice Business of the Year was awarded to Village Bank. Village Bank has been a leader in the County for several years, celebrating their tenth year of serving Chesterfield County and the metropolitan Richmond area. Their flagship headquarters set a high standard for the future development of Watkins Center.

They have a strong company commitment, both on a corporate and individual level, to community service. Tom Winfree, President and CEO, is a founding member of the Families of the Wounded Fund. Village Bank also sponsors an annual Charity Golf Tournament that benefits several local charities including Connor’s Heroes and Make A Wish Foundation.

In this past year of economic turmoil, not only have they over-come adversity but Village Bank has actually shown marked growth, adding investment services and a mortgage subsidiary to their portfolio of services. Village Bank and their staff take seriously the “community” in “community bank”.

The Board of Supervisors at the July 28, 2010 meeting will recognize the First Choice Business Award winners.

For more information on this year’s Celebrate Chesterfield Business! contact Tina Shreve at (804) 318-8564, or email at tina@chesterfieldbusiness.com

New Taxiway Opens at Chesterfield Airport

Melissa Correa of NBC 12 reported yesterday about the opening of the new taxiway that allows for larger planes at Chesterfield County Airport. Her report included interviews with Chesterfield Airport Manager Tom Trudeau and Dominion Aviation CEO Mike Mickel.




Read the story on the NBC12.com web site >>>

The Richmond Times-Dispatch has also posted an article about the ceremony and the new improvements to the airport. http://bit.ly/cFIFHi

Historic Route 1 Promotes Tourism in Chesterfield

President of the Jefferson Davis Association Scott Rogers shows us some of the historic landmarks travelers can see along Route 1.

2010 Celebrate Chesterfield Business! Event Planned

Chesterfield County Economic Development Announces Celebrate Chesterfield Business!

Chesterfield County and this year’s sponsors join the Commonwealth of Virginia in celebrating Business Appreciation Week throughout the Commonwealth. Coordinated each year by the Virginia Department of Business Assistance, Business Appreciation Week is scheduled for May 16th – 22th, 2010.

Chesterfield County Economic Development will host Celebrate Chesterfield Business! for local businesses in honor of Business Appreciation on May 19th at the Courtyard by Marriott in Chester. Sponsors for this year’s event include DuPont, Village Bank, Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center, Dominion, and Courtyard by Marriott.



Learn More >>>

Historic Route 1 project launched in Chesterfield

The Richmond-Times Dispatch has posted an article about the Historic Route 1 project in Chesterfield. Times-Dispatch writer Wesley P. Hester reports on the first leg of an effort to transform U.S. 1 from a worn and weary highway into a 2,400-mile tourist attraction.

A crowd of about 50 gathered with umbrellas yesterday at the Half Way House Restaurant on U.S. 1 to celebrate the honor for U.S. 1, as well as the launch of a related website and improvements to Jefferson Davis Highway.

“In Virginia, tourism is big business,“ said Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling from the porch of the manor house restaurant, built in 1760. “Anything we can do to help share the Virginia story with the rest of the nation is a wonderful thing to do, and that’s exactly what this project is designed to do.“

The new web site is located at HistoricRouteOne.com

Read the entire article online at the Richmond Times-Dispatch web site >>>

Hill PHOENIX Previews 2nd Plant in Chesterfield

County officials, along with current company employees, were invited to a sneak preview of Hill PHOENIX's second manufacturing plant in Chesterfield County Virginia. Hill PHOENIX currently operates an existing 508,000 square foot facility on Ruffin Mill Road and is preparing to open a second 317,000 square foot facility on Battery Brook Parkway in the James River Industrial Park. The company designs and manufactures refrigerated display cases.

Venture Forum Presents "Lunch with CEOs"

A Roundtable discussion between emerging entrepreneurs and veteran CEOs

Date: May 13, 2010
Time: 11:30 a.m. Registration & Networking
Program: 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Lunch & Mentoring
Location: Westwood Club
6200 West Club Lane, Richmond, VA 23226
Cost: $25 including lunch

Entrepreneur Qualifications:
(some discretionary exceptions might be made)
• Established Business
• At least $100,000 annual revenue
• Committed to fast growth
• At least two employees
• On track to create new jobs

Qualified applicants who cannot be accommodated for the May13th event will be placed on a waiting list for the next Lunch With CEOs event scheduled for August 21st. Entrepreneurs will be admitted by invitation only (limited openings) Each Roundtable discussion will include three Entrepreneurs seeking mentoring, two CEOs Mentors who have built multi-million dollar businesses and one Sponsor representative.

Contact:
Chuck McCabe
804-204-1040
cmccabe@peoplestax.com

Venture Forum
804-267.3370

“Lunch with CEOs is a ‘must-go’ event for new entrepreneurs and rising businesses. It’s a great opportunity to meet with and learn from successful, veteran business owners. I enjoyed it immensely and look forward to attending future meetings!” Farah Hottle, Founder, eMommie.com.

“Thank you for the invite to the Lunch meeting. I really enjoyed myself and it was a very useful investment of my time.” Prince Rich, Founder & President, Rich Technology Group

NxLevel Business Writing Course Offered

The Crater Small Business Development Center of Longwood University in partnership with the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, Colonial Heights Chamber of Commerce, Hopewell Chamber of Commerce and ConnectSouthside will be offering an 8 week Business Plan Class using the popular curriculum NxLevel. NxLevel is a comprehensive Business Writing course. The class focuses on teaching the necessities for improving business practices while producing a comprehensive business plan to assist business expansion decisions and activities.

Topics that are covered:

• Planning & Research: Entrepreneurship
• Organizational Structure & Management
• Marketing: Analyzing & Understanding
• Marketing Strategies, tactics & Implementation
• Financial Overview: books, records & control
• Managing Your Money
• Understanding Financial Statements
• Financing Your Business – alternative sources of money

Dates:
April 27, May 4, May 11, May 18, May 25, June 1, June 8, June 15th

Time:
4:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Location:
Crater Planning District Commission Board Room
1964 Wakefield Street, Petersburg, VA 23805

Cost:
$250.00
*$200.00 for those in the Cameron jurisdiction and Petersburg, Colonial Heights & Hopewell Chamber Members

RSVP:
girardijm@longwood.edu
804-518-2003

Space is limited - Registration will be required!

*The Cameron Foundation jurisdictions: Cities of Petersburg, Colonial Heights and Hopewell, the counties of Dinwiddie, Prince George and Sussex and the portion of Chesterfield lying South of Route 10.

JES Construction Grows Staff

JES Construction, a leading engineering solutions company specializing in foundation repair, basement waterproofing and crawlspace moisture control, has added additional staff to continue to provide outstanding service and work to their growing clientele in the greater Richmond area. JES introduces Crystal Randolph of Carson, Va., as a service coordinator; Michelle McLees of Chesterfield, Va., as a marketing coordinator; Harold Jones of Midlothian, Va., as a home improvement specialist and Rob Scott of Richmond, Va., as an inspector.

Randolph brings 8 years of office management and customer service experience to the service department. She will be responsible for scheduling service appointments and responding to customer inquiries. Her problem solving and people skills will help to maintain JES’ strong reputation for customer care and satisfaction.

McLees has over seven years of experience in the fields of public relations and marketing communications and has worked for successful brands and organizations such as 3M, the American Heart Association, Bag Boy and U.S. Cellular. McLees will coordinate marketing and public relations efforts at JES. She has a BS in Business Administration from Old Dominion University.

Jones previously owned and operated Jones Quality Construction in Smithville, N.J. which specialized in crawlspace and basement work and repair. He has also managed construction crews and worked hands-on in the home building and remodeling industry for over 20 years. His knowledge and experience is a tremendous addition to the JES team.

Scott comes to JES from S.D. Services, a geotechnical drilling company, where he managed projects as well as served as the site foreman. He is also certified by OSHA as a responsible person on site for soil classification. As an inspector at JES, his knowledge of soil evaluation and how it aids in the design and construction of stable and lasting foundations will be an asset to this position.

“Our experienced, upbeat and dedicated staff is why we are a successful and growing company,” says Jesse Waltz, P.E., President of JES Construction, Inc. “Crystal, Michelle, Harold and Scott are great additions to the JES team and will help us to continue to deliver superior work and service to our customers.”

For more information about JES Construction please visit www.jeswork.com.

Local Ad Agency Teams up with NASCAR

Franklin Street Marketing, a Chesterfield-based healthcare marketing and advertising agency, recently finished producing a groundbreaking national campaign for Health Management Associates (HMA), a nationwide network of hospitals. The campaign features one of NASCAR's best and most beloved drivers, Mark Martin, as the spokesperson and touts HMA's ER Extra, a new system-wide initiative to improve ER wait times.

The ER Extra campaign is the first in the hospital category to feature a celebrity of Martin's caliber as the spokesperson. It is also the first to feature Martin's wife, Arlene, and is Mark Martin's only healthcare-related sponsorship this season.

The campaign included point-of-purchase and event promotion materials, four television spots, and several print ads, radio spots, and outdoor boards. The television spots are available to view on YouTube.

Franklin Street Marketing is a Chesterfield County-based company with over 20 years of experience in marketing and advertising for hospitals and other health organizations. The company strives to make a difference in our community and nationally by helping healthcare organizations provide care to their patients. When hospitals can get their message out, they are in a better position to prevent and detect illness early on, and save lives.

For more information on Franklin Street or the HMA ER Extra campaign featuring Mark Martin, visit franklinstreet.com.

Sabra Featured in Times-Dispatch Article

Sabra Dipping Co., a New York-based food manufacturer is putting the finishing touches on a new factory in Chesterfield County...

In an article published today, John Reid Blackwell describes the progress made by Sabra on its new facility in the Ruffin Mill Industrial Park.

View the online article here. >>>

MIRR Breaks Ground to Improve Midlothian Turnpike

Midlothian Initiative to Revitalize Rights of Way (MIRR) broke ground today on a landscaping project that promises to bring visual improvements to a stretch of Route 60 in Chesterfield County. Senator John Watkins, Jay Stegmaier, Dan Gecker, Will Davis, Bill Levitt, Ray Birk, Duane Schumaker, Tom Jacobson, and Pete Stith participated in the groundbreaking ceremony. The MIRR Task Force is a sub-committee of the Greater Southport Business Association.

The subcommittee and Chesterfield County have been working with Timmons Group to develop a plan to improve, beautify and revitalize the roadways, medians and rights of way in the Huguenot/Courthouse/Midlothian area. The design plan calls for several phases.

The first phase will enhance the medians along Midlothian Turnpike from Alverser Drive on the west to Johnson Willis Drive on the east. The work will cost approximately $680,000 (including maintenance) and will be paid over five years through a special tax assessment of the area property owners.

A presentation showing the area being planned for improvements, type of landscaping being considered and before/after photos is available for download on the Greater Southport Business Association web site.

Austin Brockenbrough Cuts Ribbon to Open New Office

Austin Brockenbrough & Associates, a multi-discipline consulting engineering firm, celebrated their expansion and relocation to their new offices in the Boulders Office Park with a ribbon cutting ceremony on March 9, 2010. Formed in 1955, Brockenbrough provides surveying, civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering services to a wide variety of public and private clients.

As a result of their commitment to being responsible stewards of the environment, they invested in renovations that comply with LEED principles such as energy efficient systems, recycled materials and low VOC paints and hope to receive LEED certification for their efforts.

Brockenbrough differentiates itself by providing superior quality control, maintaining conservative fiscal and ethical management and having only highly qualified professionals responsible for projects.

Kenco Logistic Services Expands in Chesterfield

Kenco will be adding 25 - 30 new jobs and investing $1.6 million at their current site at the Walthall Enterchange in Chesterfield County.

Kenco Logistic Services is one of the nation’s leading third-party logistics providers and has grown to over 100 facilities and more than 25 million square feet of warehouse space in 32 states and Canada. Kenco manages facilities for the automotive, food, textile, appliance, and health-care industries.


For more information, visit ChesterfieldBusiness.com >>>

America's First Successful Site Search

America's first agricultural business was started in Chesterfield County, Virginia.

Chesterfield Company Selected for VALET Program

Sealeze Selected to Participate in Virginia’s VALET Program

Two-year program provides resources to support international business

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) has announced the acceptance of a Chesterfield company, Sealeze, into its two-year Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program. Launched in January 2002, the program assists exporters in the Commonwealth that have firmly established domestic operations and are committed to international exporting as an expansion strategy.

Sealeze joins the program as part of the 17th class of VALET companies. To participate, each eligible business must meet several quantitative criteria and complete an application process. Participating firms are chosen based on their dedication to growth through export. Currently, more than 100 Virginia companies have been accepted to participate in the VALET program.

Sealeze is the industry leader in providing brush-based solutions for industrial, military and aerospace applications. The company’s brush products provide a simple, cost-effective way to flexibly seal, shield, protect, close gaps, guide, position, dissipate static, clean and address many other applications. Sealeze weather seals close gaps around all types of doors, significantly reducing building energy costs and they provide an effective barrier to pests like rodents, birds and insects without impairing door movement. Custom-forming capabilities enable shapes and designs that best meet application needs. Sealeze is known for its ability to turn-around engineered solutions about twice as fast as the industry average. Sealeze’s high customer satisfaction is supported by their ISO9001:2000, Kaizen, and Lean TPM programs.

Read more on the VEDP web site >>>

Call for Nominations - 2010 Chesterfield County First Choice Business Awards

Each year Chesterfield County Virginia honors local companies that contribute to the county’s economy and its citizens. The intent is to give recognition to businesses that consistently contribute to the community by giving back to the citizens of Chesterfield through community service, create and deliver products or services to its customers which are innovative, is a leader in valuing its employees, and upholds the principles and standards of ethical business practices.

Do you know a deserving Chesterfield County company? Then nominate them for a 2010 First Choice Business Award!

Nominate a Company >>>

SportsQuest Gets $15 million More in Federal Stimulus Bonds

The Richmond-Times Dispatch has posted an article about the SportsQuest project in Chesterfield. Times-Dispatch writer Wesley P. Hester reports on the additional funds now available to the project.

SportsQuest -- the 250-acre, $250 million sports mega-complex slated for groundbreaking in weeks in Chesterfield County -- has gotten another significant financial boost courtesy of federal stimulus funds.

The county today announced plans to allocate an additional $15 million in recovery-zone bonds to the project through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

SportsQuest received its first $15 million allocation in December as the only private economic development project in the county that qualified.

Earlier this month, unused bonds from across the state went into a pool. Then-Gov. Timothy M. Kaine last week allocated the additional money to Chesterfield for SportsQuest.

Read the entire article online at the Richmond Times-Dispatch web site >>>

Precision Recycling Sees Green in Glass

The Richmond-Times Dispatch has posted an article in the Business section about Precision Recycling Industries of Virginia. Times-Dispatch writer John Reid Blackwell reports on the interesting work happening at The Sustainability Park in eastern Chesterfield County .

Bill Richardson doesn't think of himself as an environmentalist so much as a "green entrepreneur."

"I like taking something that is thrown away and making it into a useful product, especially a product that replaces hazardous materials," he said.

Richardson's green venture is all about glass, as illustrated by the 25 tons of shattered glass piled at the bay doors of his company's plant in Chesterfield County. The broken bits of green, amber and clear glass are what is called "post-consumer" waste, including jars and the remnants of countless castaway beer bottles.

"What we are doing is taking glass that would go into landfills, diverting it from landfills and making 100 percent green products," he said.

...

Read the entire article on the Times-Dispatch web site >>>