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The Online Newsletter for the Virginia Economic Developers Association
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Without any doubt, 2016 was the fastest year of my life!
VEDA began the year with the Roanoke Times article, "Money for Nothing" about the Lindenburg project that never happened in Appomattox, and ended with the JLARC report on "Management and Accountability of VEDP," and several responses to it. To call it a challenging year may be an understatement, but I am so proud of how VEDA has proactively and professionally represented and advanced the practice of economic development in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Through regular meetings with executive office agency directors and Cabinet Secretaries, and meaningful discussions with General Assembly leadership, our thoughts and concerns were heard. Through this storm, VEDA has built credibility and relevance with Virginia's policymakers.
It's safe to believe our challenges will continue for the next year or three! During this busy holiday season, we are continuing to meet with state leaders and crafting our message for the 2017 General Assembly's short session. What we are hearing on Capitol Hill is that there will be changes at VEDP, and legislators want our specific recommendations. Please e-mail any or all the VEDA Executive Committee with your thoughts, opinions and concerns.
There were challenges, but 2016 had victories in economic development, too. The Virginia Business Ready Sites Program got off to a great start, with 36 large sites receiving funding for readiness characterizations. GO Virginia has a Board of Directors, is ready to certify regional councils, and will be accepting project applications soon. And on January 2, VEDP will have a new Chief Executive Officer. We met with Stephen Moret in early December, and are excited to hear his plans for a collaborative partnership with VEDA, the regional economic development organizations and local economic developers and with other state agencies.
And don't forget those two AWESOME VEDA conferences and two more informative and enjoyable membership meetings!
For me, this year has been one of great personal and professional growth - and I thank a totally supportive Executive Committee and Board of Directors, committed and engaged committee chairs and members, remarkable legislative liaisons and tremendous Executive Director. I know, without doubt, that 2017 President Debbie Melvin will count on all of you to make this coming year one of great success for VEDA and each and every member.
I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
-Deborah K. Flippo, VEDA President
Draper Aden Associates
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VEDA elects officers and directors and presents two awards at Annual Meeting and Winter Membership Luncheon
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VEDA's 2016 Annual Meeting and Membership Luncheon featured elections for 2017; Cardinal Award and Legislator of the Year Award for 2016.
VEDA's officers and directors were elected for the coming year as follows:
Officers
President: Debbie Melvin, Virginia Economic Development Partnership
Vice President: Kenneth McFadyen, Botetourt County Economic Development
Treasurer: Stephanie Landrum, Alexandria Economic Development
Secretary: Jim Noel, York County Office of Economic Development
Immediate Past President: Deborah Flippo, Draper Aden Associates
Directors
Terms Ending in 2017:
Mallory Butler, City of Portsmouth Department of Economic Development
John Loftus, Virginia Economic Development Partnership
Megan Lucas, Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance
Telly Tucker, City of Danville Office of Economic Development
John Smolak, Appalachian Power Company
Steven J. Harrison, Virginia Beach Department of Economic Development
Terms Ending in 2019:
Shannon Blevins, The University of Virginia's College at Wise
Garratt Hart, Chesterfield County Economic Development
Christina Winn, Arlington Economic Development
The VEDA Annual Meeting and Winter Membership Luncheon was SPONSORED BY
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Legislator of the Year Award presented at VEDA Winter Membership Meeting
VEDA presented Virginia Senator Frank M. Ruff, Jr. (15th Senate District) with its seventh annual Legislator of the Year Award. The award was created to honor legislators who serve as ambassadors for economic and community development in Virginia.
"Senator Ruff truly exemplifies the definition of VEDA's Legislator of the Year," said VEDA Legislator of the Year Committee Chair, Patrick Barker (Frederick County Industrial Development Authority). "His public service career spans more than 20 years with wide-ranging committee service such as General Laws and Technology; the Senate Finance subcommittee on Economic Development; the Broadband Advisory Council; the Small Business Commission; and the Virginia Board of Workforce Development."
During the most recent General Assembly session, Senator Ruff has been an integral part of significant economic development legislation including creating an exemption for certain data centers under the Retail Sales and Use Tax legislation; the establishment of the Virginia Collaborative Economic Development Act; and creating funding for and establishing the New Economy Workforce Credential Grant Program.
VEDA's leadership put the Legislator of the Year Award in place to recognize public officials who not only support economic and community development, but who are actively engaged in public policy efforts that advance economic prosperity in the Commonwealth.
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VEDA recognizes R. Kent Hill as 2016 Cardinal Award recipient
VEDA presented R. Kent Hill, Senior Manager of Economic
Development, Dominion Resources, with the 2016 Cardinal Award at the VEDA Annual Meeting on November 30th in Richmond.
"A consummate professional, Kent consistently represents the highest level of performance in the business," said Charles Donato (Dominion Resources) in his nomination of Hill. "Kent considers his service to VEDA and its members as one of his most important professional accomplishments. He loves his colleagues, he loves the profession and thrives on the pursuit of a prospect."
Hill offers an impressive resume with 24 years of service to the Commonwealth in the field of economic development. In recognition of his leadership and experience, he was selected as a member of Governor McAuliffe's transition team for Commerce and Trade in 2013. Hill has served on a vast number of committees and boards across the state, representing all levels of economic development. Most recently he served as the chairman of the board of directors of the Virginia Economic Developers Association. Hill holds a BS in Biological and Agricultural Engineering from North Carolina State University, as well as an Energy Management Diploma from Virginia Tech. He is also a Certified Economic Developer and a graduate of the Economic Development Institute (EDI) at the University of Oklahoma.
The Cardinal Award is the most prestigious award bestowed by VEDA to deserving members. The award recognizes leadership in the field of economic development, outstanding professional accomplishments, and exceptional service to the organization. Nominations are open in early summer each year to VEDA past or current members. The nominator must be a member of the association.
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2017 VEDA Scholarships open for application and 2017 CEDA Awards open for nominations
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VEDA Professional Development Scholarships Available--Deadline to Apply is January 27, 2017
Economic developers realize the importance of professional development. Education venues, where knowledge, professional experience, and best practices are shared between economic development practitioners, provide invaluable learning opportunities. VEDA offers a variety of scholarships to help its members with their professional development efforts. For 2017 VEDA has budgeted funds for EDI; BASIC/IEDC; the Virginia Institute for Economic Development; and the Smiley Waller Memorial scholarships.
The deadline to submit applications is January 27, 2017. Applications must be submitted online.
CLICK HERE to apply for a VEDA Professional Development Scholarship!
Nominations being accepted for 2017 Community Economic Development Awards--Deadline to submit is February 17, 2017
We all know that economic development is not a solo practice. We team with government, the private sector, and countless others to make our communities competitive. Several years ago, the Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC) instituted a new awards program that recognized outstanding communities for their efforts in advancing the economic viability of their communities through economic and community development programs.
The CEDA program recognizes the best practices and exceptional contributions of communities int he Commonwealth of Virginia for the following efforts:
- Business Retention and Expansion
- Business Recruitment
- Community Development
- Community Involvement
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Site Selectors Guild adds two professionals to membership
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Two elite site selection professionals have been accepted into the Site Selectors Guild (SSG), the world's foremost organization of location advisory consultants. With the induction of these two members, the organization's membership reaches a new high of 43 and truly represents the world's best site selection professionals.
Woody Hydrick i
s Managing Principal of Global Location Strategies (GLS) based out of Greenville, South Carolina. Over the course of his career, he has located investments around the globe, siting operations in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. He has extensive experience in global location strategy, site selection and incentives negotiations.
Wolfgang Riedel i
s the founder and managing partner of the Germany-based site selection consulting firm Riedel Consulting GmbH. Since 1999, his site selection assignments have covered a wide range of industrial segments including semiconductors, consumer electronics, data centers, photovoltaics, specialty chemicals, nonferrous metals, alternative energy, auto parts, heavy construction, commercial vehicles, nondurable household products, and more.
About The Site Selectors Guild
The Site Selectors Guild is a professional association comprised of the world's leading corporate location advisory consultants. The mission of The Site Selectors Guild is to advance the profession of international corporate site selection by promoting the profession and providing education, networking and other services to those involved in the industry. All members of The Site Selectors Guild have been nominated and approved by their industry peers. As the first and only group of its kind, the Site Selectors Guild brings together a dynamic network of site selectors from around the world, combining their talent and expertise to create an invaluable resource, unmatched in its quality, for both corporations seeking site selection assistance and economic development organizations.
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REGISTER FOR VEDA'S LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION TODAY!
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5:30 - 7:30 pm
CenterStage
600 E Grace Street
Richmond, Virginia
Sponsored By
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VEDA 2016 Corporate Patrons
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VEDA 2017 Program Schedule
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Partnering for Progress
Legislative Reception
January 16, 2017
Richmond, Virginia
Spring Conference
March 29-31, 2017
Charlottesville, Virginia
Powering a Dynamic Region through the Strength of Local Assets
Summer Membership Meeting
June 7, 2017
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Embracing Shared Outcomes with Higher Education
Fall Conference
October 11-13, 2017
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Gaining a Competitive Advantage through Collaboration
Winter Membership Luncheon & Annual Meeting
December 6, 2017
Staunton, Virginia
Cultivating Culture and Refreshing Innovation
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The
Greater Richmond Partnership announced that Bobby Ukrop,
President/CEO of Ukrop's Homestyle Foods, was awarded the Chairman's Award for Lifetime Achievement in Economic Development by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).
The Chairman's Award, is given to individuals who have shown long-standing, exemplary commitment to economic development throughout their careers.
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) has recognized the
Greater Richmond Partnership as one of 52 Accredited Economic Development Organizations (AEDO).
Created in 1993, the AEDO program recognizes the professional excellence of economic development entities throughout North America and provides those organizations with independent feedback from national peers.
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US EDA announces FY17 economic development assistance programs federal funding opportunity
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The US Economic Development Administration has published the FY 2017 Economic Development Assistance Programs (EDAP) Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO).
Opportunity Summary: EDA provides strategic investments on a competitive merit basis to support economic development, foster job creation, and attract private investment in economically distressed areas of the United States. Under this FFO, EDA solicits applications from applicants in order to provide investments that support construction, non-construction, technical assistance, and revolving loan fund projects under EDA's Public Works and EAA programs. Grants and cooperative agreements made under these programs are designed to leverage existing regional assets and support the implementation of economic development strategies that advance new ideas and creative approaches to advance economic prosperity in distressed communities.
If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact the EDA representative for your state. A complete list of EDA representatives is available on EDA's website at
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CIT releases 2016 Annual Report on Research Commercialization
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Report tracks investments, opportunities, results in research commercialization
The Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) announced the release of the Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund (CRCF) annual report for FY2016, which tracks the Fund's investments in high-potential initiatives throughout Virginia. Outcomes reported in FY2016 by Fund awardees identify early returns on the Commonwealth's investments. The CRCF was created by the Virginia General Assembly to accelerate innovation and to drive economic development throughout the Commonwealth, while solving important state, national, and international problems through technology research, development, and commercialization.
CIT tracks outcomes from CRCF award recipients during the period of performance and for five years following project conclusion. Highlights of the newly released report follow; access the complete CRCF FY2016 Annual Report to learn more.
--Additional funding leveraged. In FY2016, CRCF award recipients reported attracting more than $69 million in follow-on monies to support research and technology efforts after CRCF projects concluded. Sources of funding ranged from angel and venture capital to corporate partners to grant funding. An additional $7 million was leveraged from in-kind support and nearly $96 million has been reported as pending, with more than 50% from funding rounds that are underway.
--Organizational growth and expansion. In FY2016, at least three new companies were formed to commercialize or otherwise extend the reach of CRCF-developed technologies, at least four organizations expanded or established facilities, and at least two companies relocated their operations to the Commonwealth. More than 150 jobs have been created, including full-time and part-time and with hires ranging from students supporting a specific project to senior-level executives to consultants. Nearly 150 jobs with a similar spectrum have been retained. CRCF awardees reported more than $9.5 million in sales revenue over the past year, with three organizations each reporting figures of more than $1.5 million.
--Products / services introduced to market.
At least 11 new products and/or services have been introduced to market, as reported by CRCF awardees in FY2016, and two organizations anticipate near-term releases; an additional 30 technologies were reported as under development, including at the beta, demo, or prototype stage. At least 250 licenses for CRCF-funded software have been sold.
--Intellectual property created and licensed.
CRCF award recipients reported 19 patents awarded, more than 50 patents filed or pending, and 16 patent applications under development; this includes USPTO, PCT, non-U.S., and provisional patents. Additionally, eight invention disclosures have been reported, along with several trade secrets and trademarks. Three organizations have executed licensing agreements for their technology, ongoing licensing discussions were reported by several other organizations, and at least nine organizations have reported licensing IP from Virginia colleges and universities.
--Regulatory applications and approvals.
Fund recipients reported that 16 clinical trials were completed, underway, or recently approved for CRCF-funded technologies. Additionally, at least two awardees are engaged in or on the path to pre-clinical research and investigational studies.
--Publications prepared and accepted.
Articles by CRCF award recipients appear in respected industry journals, and recipients have given numerous presentations domestically and internationally about their novel technology. In FY2016, more than 260 total publications and presentations were disclosed by CRCF recipients. Of this, more than 200 have been accepted and/or delivered, 35 have been submitted and are awaiting acceptance, and nearly 30 are being developed.
Ed Albrigo, President and CEO of CIT, said, "The CRCF drives critical efforts to advance innovation and entrepreneurship in the Commonwealth by identifying and funding high-growth opportunities at some of the earliest stages of research and development. The Fund provides research teams with access to capital at a pivotal stage in their process, enabling technological breakthroughs in key industry sectors that have been identified as focal points for Virginia."
Since the inception of the CRCF program in 2011, nearly 616 applications have been submitted from all of the Commonwealth's ten technology regions. From these submissions, 232 awards totaling nearly $20 million were announced, and are being leveraged with more than $50 million in committed matching funds. CRCF projects have covered the following technology sectors: advanced manufacturing, aerospace, communications, cyber security, energy, environment, information technology - including data analytics, life sciences, modeling and simulation, nuclear physics, transportation, and unmanned systems.
In FY2016, CIT announced 48 grants to startups, universities and research institutes engaged in research and development projects totaling $3.4 million in five technology sectors: cyber security; energy; information technology, specifically data analytics; life sciences; and unmanned systems, for air, ground, sea, or space. This investment was leveraged with an additional $11.6 million from award recipients.
This fall, CIT announced that approximately $2.8 million is available for the FY2017 solicitation, currently underway. Although Letters of Intent are no longer being accepted this round, information on the programs and industry sectors is available via www.cit.org/initiatives/crcf/fy2017-solicitation/. Award announcements are planned for early June 2017.
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Copyright © 2016. All Rights Reserved.
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