Archive for category: News Article

The Virginia Gateway Region Economic Development Organization in cooperation with the U.S. Small Business Administration will conduct the “Virginia Gateway Region Veteran’s Day Small Business Procurement Symposium” on November 10, 2011 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Virginia State University’s Gateway Dining and Event Center, 2804 Martin Luther King Drive, Petersburg, VA.  You are invited to attend and participate in this important and extremely informative symposium.

This symposium is designed to give all business owners the tools and information needed for government procurement. It will provide you with the knowledge needed to plan and develop your ability to compete successfully for federal contracts and sub-contracts. This symposium provides the kind of information that highly successful companies and individuals know and what truly differentiates them from others. This symposium can improve your probability of success.

Register today at: http://veteransuccess.eventbrite.com/  Tickets are only $20!!! Space is limited!

Virginia Gateway Region

“SUCCESS” 2011 Veteran’s Small Business Symposium

8:30 – 9:00          
Opening Remarks
– Pat Hood, Crater SBDC & Presentation of the Flag                                  
– Welcome Dr. Keith T. Miller, Virginia State University President            
– Renee Chapline, Virginia’s Gateway Region Executive Director        
– Ron White, Congressman J. Randy Forbes District Military Liaison            
– Ron Bew, Small Business Administration District Director                    
– A. John Shoraka, Small Business Administration Regional Administrator

9:00 – 9:10          
Some Thoughts on Achieving SUCCESS in the Federal Marketplace
– John Karafa, Leebcor Services

9:10 – 9:20          
Break

Concurrent Workshops

9:20 – 10:05          
SBA Certification Programs
– Tammy Proffitt – Small Business Administration
or
Navigating the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 19 Small Business Programs
– Joanne Tompkins – Crater Planning District Commission Procurement Technical Assistance Center

10:05 – 10:15
Break

10:15 – 11:00
Show Me the Money!! “Are your Finances in Order?”
Panel Discussion
– Scott Dailey – SBA Moderator
– Tanner Collins – REDC Community Capital Group
– Bud Yerly – SunTrust
– Dai Barth – Wells Fargo
– Letitia Green – Virginia Active Angel Network
or
Contracting with the Federal Government
– Richard Rosanelli – Central Virginia Procurement Technical Assistance Center

11:00 – 12:15        
Lunch Speaker
Julien G. Patterson, Chairman OMNIPLEX World Services Corporation

12:15 – 1:00
Joint Ventures and Teaming Arrangements
– W.M. Jordan Company
or
Leveraging your Advertising Dollars Using Social Media
– Dave Saunders – Madison + Main

1:00 – 4:00
Matchmaking

Register today at: http://veteransuccess.eventbrite.com/  Tickets are only $20!!! Space is limited!

Stonebridge Realty Holdings purchased 28.4 acres of the former Cloverleaf Mall site from the Chesterfield County Economic Development Authority for $5.7 million. This transaction will allow the demolition of the Cloverleaf Mall and construction of a flagship Kroger with fuel pumps and additional retail shops. Work on the site is scheduled to begin the week of October 17th.

Dan Gecker, Midlothian District Supervisor stated, “This long awaited project can now begin. Despite difficult economic times, we will now start the revitalization of the Cloverleaf Mall site and the Eastern Midlothian Turnpike corridor.”

Kroger plans to open its 123,000 square foot store, the largest in the Mid Atlantic region, as well as an associated fuel station, by November 2012. Stonebridge Realty Holdings will purchase the remaining 54.6 acres of the former Cloverleaf Mall site over the next several years to complete its planned mixed use, retail, office and multi-family residential Stonebridge development.

The Stonebridge project is expected to spur additional investment and renewal in the surrounding area. This revitalization effort was made possible through a working partnership among the County, the Chesterfield County Economic Development Authority, the Chippenham Place Community Development Authority, Stonebridge Realty Holdings and Kroger.

Demolition will include the main mall building as well as the Tire America and movie theater buildings. Firestone and Bank of America will remain open during demolition and construction.

Tara Morgan of NBC12 reports on the plans of Cuore to hire 400 new workers.

In this bleak job market, a Chesterfield company is breathing new life into an old call center. It’s looking to fill several hundred positions by the end of the year…

Read the entire story on NBC12.com >>>

 

Only Facility of Its Kind in North America.

Chesterfield County is pleased to announce that Mazda North American Operations is adding an automatic transmission remanufacturing line at its Rotary Engine Remanufacturing facility in the County. Mazda will invest $2.3 million and add 21 full time jobs.

In addition to the rotary engine remanufacturing line the facility also includes a power steering pump line, a dealer training center and information call center. Mazda has established a power train investigation group to perform in-depth analysis of failed units and provide feedback to improve its future designs and diagnostic capabilities. The company currently employs 41 full time and 29 temporary employees at this facility.

“Mazda is thrilled with its location in Chesterfield County, it has enabled us to effectively serve our desired distribution area,” said Mazda’s Vice President of Customer Service and Parts, Yasuo Kunita. “With the quality workforce in Chesterfield, the facility’s central east coast location and the continued support and assistance of Chesterfield Economic Development, we have been able to deliver quality service to our customers efficiently and cost effectively. We look forward to doing the same with our transmission line.”

The Automatic Transmission Line will disassemble and remanufacture Mazda automatic transmissions for the MAZDA3 and MAZDA5. The projected volume is 3,000 units per year. On the Rotary Remanufacturing Line, Mazda disassembles and rebuilds its one-of-a-kind Renesis rotary engine, used in the rotary-powered RX-8 sports car and produced over 5,000 remanufactured engines last year. The Power Steering Pump Line disassembles, remanufactures, and tests power steering pumps in support of the power steering pump recall for the MAZDA3 and MAZDA5 and has remanufactured over 150,000 pumps in 11 months of operation. Mazda expects to produce almost 200,000 pumps in support of the recall. The Training Center facility houses the training center for dealer technicians as well as a technical assistance hotline.

“We are extremely pleased that Mazda Motor Corporation is expanding in Chesterfield County. They are a prominent member of our international manufacturing community and we are proud that they are expanding as a result of the success they have experienced in Chesterfield.” said Art Warren, Chairman, Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors.

Mazda leases 133,000 square feet of space from Weingarten Realty in Enterchange @ Walthall, Building A. The building is located at the Walthall interchange on Ruffin Mill Road and is in the Walthall Enterprise Zone.

In addition to Chesterfield Economic Development; Mazda will be assisted in their expansion process by Virginia Jobs Investment Program and the State Enterprise Zone Program.

Contact: Tamara Mlynarczyk, Sr. Representative, Public Affairs, Mazda North American Operations (202) 467-5092

Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that Emerson Ecologics, LLC, the leading provider of professional-grade nutritional supplements to the healthcare practitioner market, will invest up to $1 million to open a distribution facility in Chesterfield County. The project will immediately create 35 new jobs, growing to a total of 60 jobs over the next three years.

Speaking about today’s announcement, Governor McDonnell said, “This project marks Emerson Ecologics’ first operation in Virginia. Chesterfield County offers an available facility that meets the company’s needs, as well as a strategic location that allows access to their customer base within a two-day delivery cycle. I am confident that Emerson Ecologics will find success in the Commonwealth.”

“We welcome Emerson Ecologics as a corporate partner that is new to both Chesterfield County and to Virginia,” said Jim Cheng, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “The company’s goal is providing solutions for optimal patient health, and its newest location will help quickly reach customers in the mid-Atlantic region.”

Emerson Ecologics is the leading provider of products and services to the professional integrative healthcare community, distributing over 20,000 products from hundreds of industry leading manufacturers.

“The Richmond area was selected for our new Eastern distribution center based on many factors, including the ability to reach a majority of our East and Midwest doctors via small parcel ground shipping in two days. We take pride in our two-day delivery commitment and strive to achieve this as efficiently and reliably as possible,” said Andy Greenawalt, CEO of Emerson Ecologics. “As we investigated the region, we were impressed by the business-friendly climate, as well as the access to well designed, climate-controlled facilities that met our needs. Our new facility will result in a 50% increase in our overall distribution capacity, which is critical in supporting our future growth.”

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’re delighted that Emerson Ecologics has chosen Chesterfield County as the site of their new distribution facility, and pleased that the venture will create exciting new employment opportunities for residents from throughout the region,” said Chesterfield County Administrator James J. L. Stegmaier.

To learn more about Emerson Ecologics or their employment opportunities, visit www.emersonecologics.com or contact the Virginia Employment Commission.