Alliance Engineering Selected to Participate in Virginia’s VALET Program

- Two-year program provides resources to support international business -

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) today announced the acceptance of four Central Virginia companies 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.

The new companies accepted into the program include Alliance Engineering, Inc. of Chesterfield County; FDP Virginia, Inc. of Essex County; Mikro Systems, Inc. of Albemarle County; and Northland Forest Products, Inc. of Fluvanna County.

Currently, the VALET program has 40 companies as participants. Because of the proven results of the program’s graduates, the VALET program will continue to expand to work with more Virginia companies over the course of the next six months. In addition, new participants in the program will have access to $15,000 in reimbursement funds from the Commonwealth. The program provides participating companies assistance from a team of experienced international service providers to help them meet their international goals. Private sector service providers such as attorneys, Web designers, bankers, translators and freight forwarders contribute essential expertise for expansion into international markets.

These Virginia companies join the program as part of the 19th 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 140 Virginia companies have been accepted to participate in the VALET program.

“The VALET Program generates international sales for Virginia companies,” said Paul Grossman, VEDP Director of International Trade and Investment. “Since its inception in 2002, the program has worked with more than 140 companies to increase their international sales. Because of the program’s proven success and because jobs are created when Virginia companies sell more into global markets, it is important that we expand the VALET Program to assist more Virginia companies. We are happy to welcome these companies to the program and look forward to working with them over the course of the next two years.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, a marketing organization, was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1995 to encourage, stimulate, and support the development and expansion of the economy of the Commonwealth. The Partnership is a state authority, which is governed by a 22-member Board of Directors appointed by the Governor and the Virginia General Assembly. To accomplish its objectives of promoting economic expansion within the Commonwealth, the Partnership focuses its efforts on business recruitment, expansion and international trade. VEDP has offices in Virginia, Belgium, Hong Kong, Mexico and Japan.

To learn more about VALET program, visit www.ExportVirginia.org.

Chesterfield County's Will Davis has visions of growth

The Richmond-Times Dispatch has posted a profile in the Metro Business section about Chesterfield Economic Development Director, Will Davis. Times-Dispatch writer Zachary Reid reports on the interesting economic development work happening Chesterfield County .

Will Davis can sell a piece of land.

He will look over a swath of earth most people would never notice and figure out some way to make it a community.

It could be full of complementary retail outlets, or it could be industrial factories. What the project is doesn't matter as much as that there is a development.

...

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

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.