Mason Enterprise Center 
GiseleStolz named Business Incubator Director for MEC 
MEC is pleased to announce that Gisele Stolz will be the new MEC Business Incubator Director. Stolz has been in the Mason family for the last several years, serving as the Director of the SBDC at CBP in Springfield. In this new role, Stolz will have day-to-day responsibility for the MEC-Fairfax, and she will provide leadership and strategic vision for regional MEC offices.  Stolz's diversified background includes creating and running the entrepreneurship-training program at the accelerator attached to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), to working for a high-tech start-up, to advising entrepreneurs and small businesses. 
MEC-FauquierMEC-Fauquier
Ignite Fauquier celebrates first anniversary
Ignite Fauquier celebrated its one-year anniversary at the Warrenton Visitor's Center with a sizable crowd. MEC-Fauquier's Renee Younes started this business organization, modeling it after One Million Cups. Each month an entrepreneur presents a business challenge and attendees make suggestions on how to address it. For the anniversary celebration, a panel of past presenters demonstrated how they had taken the suggestions and what happened as a result. Attendees were treated to a delicious breakfast by Savory Fare of Warrenton.
MEC-Fauquier welcomes Live Life Well
During her journey of wellness healing, Karen David, RN, founded Live Life Well, LLC, in 2013. On her decision to move from being a virtual client to a resident, David explains "Wellness coaching is about providing a space of comfort, professionalism, and confidentiality, and I have found those qualities in the physical space here at the MEC-Fauquier." Live Life Well is a health promotion business, empowering individuals to live life abundantly through healthy lifestyle practices. David offers a co-creation of a plan based on wellness goals, desires, lifestyle, and values.
TRAXyL opens virtual office at MEC-Fauquier
TRAXyL -- a 2015 participant in the Virginia SBDC ICAP program offering technology-commercialization assistance to start-ups -- tackles rural America's telecommunication challenges.  They developed and patented a faster and far cheaper way to distribute optical fiber, solving the "last mile": issue of delivering high-speed internet to under served and rural areas. They place bare optical fibers on the painted lines of road surfaces and encase them in resin to protect them from traffic and weather. TRAXyL is installing pilot projects in and around Fauquier County using their prototype cable-laying machine.  As a virtual MEC-Fauquier member, TRAXyL receives professional mail services and conference rooms. Pictured: Co-Founders (l) Stephen Carter (COO) and (r) Daniel Turner (CEO)
MEC-Fauquier welcomes co-working company
The mission of the Center for Watershed Protection, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is to protect, restore, and enhance our streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and bays. A national leader on storm-water management and watershed planning, the Center has offices in Ellicott City, MD, and Warrenton, with satellite offices in Charlottesville, Leesburg, Ithaca (NY), Philadelphia, and Bluffton (SC). The Center chose the MEC-Fauquier co-working space because of the professional office facilities, pleasant work atmosphere, and the convenient location.
MEC staff visits Wort Hog Brewery
After a productive monthly MEC Management meeting, participants took a quick walk to the new Wort Hog Brewery in Old Town Warrenton for a tour and a sampling of beer. This outing allowed MEC Management members to socialize outside the office and to become acquainted with a local entrepreneur. Fun was had by all!
MEC-FairfaxMECfairfax
Asthma Community Service Award from the AAE 
Eleanor (Ellie) Thornton, CEO of Visionary Consulting Partners, was awarded the 2017 Humanitarian and Outstanding Asthma Community Service Award by the Association of Asthma Educators (AAE). The award honors an AAE member with a longstanding commitment to asthma-related services and programming in communities whose needs are not being met by the traditional healthcare delivery system. Thornton has led and supported asthma-related programming and services by developing counseling programs throughout the nation and leading community-based, clinical, research, and training initiatives. Read More
MEC-Fairfax welcomes Mittal Solutions
The sole intent of Mittal Solutions LLC, a contracting company, is to make clients' lives easier. With services ranging from web design and app development to graphic arts and administrative assistance, they are the best bet for getting things done. All the associates have a degree or majored in their specialty, and they offer their full commitment to all of their work. Mittal can be reached at [email protected]. They chose MEC-Fairfax to have better access to communities through the multiple resources available at this prime location in Northern Virginia. "Mittal Solutions: Your dreams, Our solutions!"
MEC-Fairfax welcomes Greybeard Solutions
Alan Dunham, president of Greybeard Solutions LLC, applies over 35 years of experience to support clients with statistical analysis, predictive analytics, decision analysis, survey design and analysis, sampling strategies for auditing and lot quality assurance, fuzzy matching of name lists, modeling and simulation, STEM labor market analysis, and programming in SAS, SQL, and R. Certified in decision science and SAS programming.  MEC Fairfax was selected for its collaborative business model, location, and price point for the office space and office infrastructure.
MEC-Fairfax welcomes HarmonyTech
HarmonyTech specializes in DevOps, cloud migration, cybersecurity, and enterprise IT services. They deliver information technology services and solutions to Federal agencies and commercial enterprises. HarmonyTech is experienced in providing a broad range of IT services that encompass the full development life cycle, including Agile/Scrum, with specializations in the Microsoft solution stack, web and mobile application development, data analytics, machine learning and enterprise search solutions. HarmonyTech chose MEC-Fairfax because its services will advance their strategic growth plans.
City of Fairfax announces casting call for Piranha Tank
Piranha Tank, a "Shark Tank"-like competition, gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to compete for capital from a panel of investors, the "Piranhas." The program accelerates innovative and practical solutions that address issues in the Washington DC/Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Entrepreneurs must try out for the Piranha Tank by participating in the casting call, September 28, from 3:00 to 5:30 at the Old Town Hall in the City of Fairfax.  Registration link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/piranha-tank-casting-call-ffx-sept-28-tickets-35946418706?aff=efbeventtix
CBP (Springfield)CBP
CBP Springfield welcomes Info Tech VA
Info Tech VA is an accelerated Information Technology (IT) training school, founded and employed by full-time IT professionals. They focus on educating people over 18 years old as Software QA Test Automation Developers. They offer anyone, with or without prior IT experience, a guaranteed job path that pays a minimum of $90,000 a year. Both their office and class training rooms are located at CBP. They joined CBP for the opportunities in business growth, community connections, and the modem training rooms. Read more 
CBP Springfield welcomes IDI/3E Groups
Established in 2007, the International Development Institute (IDI) provides capacity-building and institutional-strengthening programs through short-term courses, training/workshops, study tours, and exchange programs.  IDI provides training on legal, regulatory, financial, managerial, technical, and institutional subjects to public and private sector officials in Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. IDI is pleased to relocate to CBP after outgrowing their home-based office, because it offers an ideal location with its dedicated offices, legal, financial, and marketing counseling.  Read more
VBOC supports Veteran entrepreneurs in the U.S. Virgin Islands
Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) at CBP held two one-day Boots to Business Reboot workshops on St. Thomas and St. Croix for 22 members of the military community. Charles McCaffrey and Patti Senft from the VBOC were delighted to collaborate with the local SBA office and their partners, the University of the Virgin Islands SBDC Network. The Caribbean islands host more Veterans per capita than anywhere in the U.S., and VBOC was there to support them. The economy on the islands is struggling and it will take local entrepreneurs (and those who support them) to chart a path for recovery and success.  Read more