The E-newsletter of the Roanoke County Economic Development Department is designed to showcase the investments and achievements of our existing business partners. For additional information about doing business in Roanoke County, visit our website.

We are off to a great start in Roanoke County! Since January of 2022, economic development growth includes 14 new project announcements with more than $66 million in new investment and 418 new jobs during the first half of the year. While three projects began in 2021 and are nearing completion, others are just getting started.

Learn more in the story from WSLS

(L-R) Bill Hunter (Roanoke County), Supervisor Dave Radford (Roanoke County), Jeff Merritt (Cox), David Suetterlein (VA Senate), Representative from US Rep. Morgan Griffith's Office

Photo credit to  RVTV

Cox and Roanoke County entered into a public-private partnership to provide broadband to unserved homes in the Bent Mountain community. Over the next three years, Cox will be investing $45 million to bring new services and enhanced services to homes in Roanoke County. The Bent Mountain project will serve 49 homes in the area and is phase 1 of bringing access to over 700 homes throughout the County. This project to expand broadband through the community creates more opportunities for citizens at their residences such as working from home and completing school work. Learn more about broadband projects in Roanoke County HERE and check out more info on phase 1 of the project on the July episode of Roanoke County Business Partners.

M-Power Fitness is a new gym located on Brambleton Avenue in the former Titan Fit Roanoke space. M-Power can accommodate any gym-goers, from cardio enthusiasts to powerlifters, with their expansive inventory of equipment for functional strength training. Owners Clif Clark and Eric Sparrow both have inspirational stories that helped them overcome adversity, so they emphasize motivation and mental toughness in their gym. You can find M-Power Fitness at 3719 Brambleton Avenue and you can learn more on the July episode of Roanoke County Business Partners.

Follow Clif's inspirational journey on Instagram @Losing2Live411

(L-R) Andrew Henritze and Town of Vinton mayor, Brad Grose

Henritze Dental Group held a grand opening for their Vinton office which is consolidating with their former practice on Orange Avenue. Henritze Dental Group will also welcome their new Brambleton location in the former Bear Trap Inn building on July 11. You can find their Vinton office at 614 E Washington Avenue and their new Brambleton office at

Congratulations to Roanoke County business OPX Solutions for being selected as a 2022 SWaMmy Community Impactful Business Honoree. OpX Solutions helps organizations excel by providing leadership development and process improvement solutions. They were recognized for providing free webinars during the COVID-19 lockdown to help teams adjust to the sudden remote work environment, and for working with two manufacturers to increase output and reduce their backlog of PPE and a COVID-killing device for HVAC systems. The SWaMmy awards are presented by the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity to recognize small, women-owned, and minority-owned businesses for their exemplary performance and community impact.

Get your business SWaM certified Here

Friendship Retirement understands the difficulties employers across the board are having with hiring and retaining employees, which is why they've implemented creative strategies to show their workforce appreciation. With the added constraints of high fuel prices, Friendship launched a program to give away 250 gas cards to employees throughout the month of June. They have seen success from similar programs in the past and plan to continue programs that lower barriers for employees and show gratitude for their hard work. Friendship's program serves as a unique model for other businesses to consider. Learn more on the July episode of Roanoke County Business Partners.

The second Adventure Saturday of 2022 takes place on July 16th at Explore Park! Adventure Saturday features the following expanded activities: T-Rex Trail, Treetop Quest, Twilight Zipline event, live music, nature activities, biking vendors and more! Click Here to view the event schedule.

See all events and activities at Explore Park Here! 

Thalhimer is representing a 2.48 AC ground lease or built-to-suit mixed property perfect for a mixed-use development opportunity. This property is located on Southpeak Boulevard in proximity to Texas Roadhouse and Hilton Garden Inn, also located in a high-income demographic area with high traffic counts.

Learn more about this property Here

Congratulations to Joyce Waugh who will be retiring from the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce after 22 years with the Chamber, and serving as President and CEO since 2008. Eric Sichau, Vice President of Membership Services with the Chamber, will succeed her in the role. We thank you Joyce for her dedication to the Roanoke Regional and we welcome Eric in his new position!

Virginia Community Capital is introducing the Economic Equity Fund, a $10 million loan fund that provides low-cost financing for small, BIPOC- and/or women-owned businesses that were disproportionately affected by the economic impact of the pandemic. Eligibility requirements include:

Learn more and apply HERE

The Greater Williamson Road Area Business Association is sponsoring National Night Out at the Williamson Road Plaza shopping center (3501 Williamson Road) on August 2 from 4 - 8 PM. The event is free and is a great way to meet and celebrate Roanoke County and Roanoke City first responders with food, music, games, and more!

Click Here to learn more

The Roanoke Regional Small Business Development Center is hosting the first annual Foodiepreneur Symposium at the Vinton War Memorial on July 25 from 9:30 AM - 3 PM. Food-based entrepreneurs will learn how to scale and expand their businesses, hear from industry experts, and network with other foodiepreneurs in the Greater Roanoke area. Register today for the early-bird discount before the price increases July 1!

Learn more and register Here

This month, we head to Bent Mountain Community Center to hear from Cox and Roanoke County about the public-private partnership bringing broadband to more residents in Roanoke County. Then we visit M-Power Fitness, a new functional strength gym on Brambleton Avenue, to learn about what sets them apart from other fitness facilities in the area. Finally, we visit Friendship Retirement to learn how they’re coming up with creative solutions to hire and retain employees.