Tag Archive for: Insites

Virginia is the most business-friendly state in the U.S., according to a report released by Pollina Corporate Real Estate Inc., a site-selection consulting company based in Park Ridge, Ill.

Pollina evaluated and ranked states on their pro-business stance. Points were assigned for each state based on 14 factors, including taxes, human resources, right-to-work legislation; energy costs, spending on infrastructure and workers compensation legislation. A short list of states were then assigned points based on 11 more factors including the resources a state dedicates to its economic-development department; the professionalism of the department; and the state’s incentive program, including, property and other tax credits, job training and grants.

Governor Mark R. Warner announced that DuPont Engineering Polymers will create 20 new jobs with the major new polymer plant in Chesterfield County.

The plant will meet increasing demand for DuPont™ Zytel® HTN high-performance polyamide resins with 30-million pounds per year of capacity. Located adjacent to DuPont’s existing Richmond site in Chesterfield County, the new facility is scheduled for startup by the end of 2004.

Governor Mark R. Warner announced that HCA would expand operations at its Patient Account Services Center in the Boulders office complex in Chesterfield County. The expansion will bring 160 new jobs with an annual payroll of $4.8 million. Virginia successfully competed with Georgia and Tennessee for the project.

“With more than 10,600 employees statewide and an annual payroll of $375 million, HCA is a significant employer and taxpayer in the Commonwealth,” said Governor Warner. “I am pleased to announce this company’s continued growth and strong commitment to Virginia.”

Based in Nashville, Tennessee, HCA is the nation’s leading provider of healthcare services. It owns or operates approximately 200 hospitals and 80 outpatient surgery centers in the United States, England and Switzerland, including 12 hospitals and three surgery centers in the Commonwealth. HCA’s Central Virginia facilities are CJW Medical Center, Henrico Doctors’ Hospital, Retreat Hospital and John Randolph Medical Center.

When the expansion is complete, the Richmond Patient Account Services Center will employ 670 personnel who provide billing, customer service and collection services for 30 HCA hospitals in five states. The new positions include accountants, customer service representatives, and other business office positions. Hiring will begin in November and continue into early 2004.
“Richmond was an attractive expansion opportunity for several reasons,” said Steve Gross, CEO of HCA’s Richmond Patient Account Services Center. “The caliber of the workforce, the quality of the schools, the fact that the state and county are very pro-business – all these factors came into play. In addition, Richmond is a core market for HCA and its hospitals there have gained a reputation for clinical excellence.”

HCA’s commitment to Virginia involves several other major expansion projects. In 2003, it opened the $44 million Levinson Heart Hospital at CJW Medical Center in Richmond in 2003 and broke ground on a $38 million project at Lewis-Gale Medical Center in Salem. An $83 million expansion at Reston Hospital Center will be completed in 2004. HCA is also seeking state approval to build 180-bed Broadlands Regional Medical Center in Loudoun County.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the Chesterfield Department of Economic Development and its Industrial Development Authority assisted HCA with its decision. The company qualifies for a Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit, a statutory incentive available to all qualifying companies. To support HCA’s investment, the Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide workforce training as well as retraining assistance for existing HCA jobs.

“Today’s announcement is great news for the people of Chesterfield County,” said Art Warren, Chairman of the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors. “HCA’s expansion is another example of the cooperation between the county and the state to create jobs in Central Virginia.”

A safe and healthy workplace is the result of teamwork that includes both employers and employees. Through a spirit of cooperation, employers, employees, and the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry can work together to reduce injuries and illnesses in
our workplaces.

The Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) was developed to provide incentives and support to smaller, high-hazard employers to work with employees to develop, implement, and continuously improve safety and health programs.

SHARP recognizes worksites that operate exemplary safety and health programs that result in the immediate and long-term prevention of job related injuries and illnesses.

This is achieved by:

• Encouraging employers to use Virginia Occupational Safety and Health (VOSH) funded consultation service and to involve their employees in establishing fully effective safety and health programs.
• Providing public recognition for employers and employees who have worked together successfully to establish effective and exemplary safety and health programs.
• Removing the company’s name from general schedule compliance inspection lists.

You are eligible for SHARP if you:

• Have no more than 250 employees at the site and not more than 500 total employees at all sites within the same Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) controlled nationwide.
• Are a single, fixed worksite.
• Have at least one full year in operation.
• Have a lost workday injury and illness (LWDII) rate and a total recordable case rate (TRCR) below that for your industry within the established SIC or be willing to commit the time and resources to reduce your current rates to those required over an 18-month deferral period.
• Be on VOSH’s high hazard inspection list, or have a SIC on any emphasis program list at the national, state or local level.

Employers with Existing Exemplary Safety and Health Programs

Employers found during the initial visit to meet all the criteria to participate in SHARP as outlined in the eligibility section may be recommended for participation without having to meet the 18-month deferral period. The company must demonstrate that its LWDII and TRCR are currently below the national average for the establishment SIC and have been maintained at that level over time.

Employers requesting initial participation must agree to the following:

• A full service comprehensive survey of all conditions and operations of the establishment, including a complete safety and health program review.
• Involve employees in the development, operation, and improvement of all elements of the workplace safety and health program and in the decisions that affect their safety and health.
• Work with the consultation program to: correct all identified safety and health hazards and provide confirmation of corrections, effectively implement all elements of a safety and health program, lower the LWDII and TRCR rates below that of the national average for the establishment SIC, consult in advance with the consultation program on any changes in working conditions, or work processes that might introduce new hazards into the workplace, and notify the consultation program at the end of the deferral period to request a final comprehensive visit to verify the above requirements have been met.

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  The Program Manager may then recommend the site for SHARP approval and participation. For more information please contact the Consultation Services of the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry at (804) 786-8707.

Increase Your Opportunities For Government Contracts!

August 25, 2003

8:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Bryant and Stratton College

8141 Hull Street Road

Richmond, VA 23235-6411

The Small Business Procurement Workshop will be a dynamic, educational, and networking opportunity for small business entrepreneurs who need information and contacts to manage and expand their opportunity to do business with the Federal, State, and Local Government. Topics will include:

Federal Government Procurement – Learn how to register your business with the federal government to maximize your bid opportunities, understand the FAR, types of federal government contracts and become familiar with the various forms associated with federal government procurement. You will be able to register for the Federal Contractors’ Database following the workshop.

The Commonwealth of Virginia’s eVA Initiative – Learn about Governor Warner’s Executive Order #29 and eVA, the Commonwealth’s electronic procurement system designed to increase access to procurement opportunities with state agencies. You will be able to register for eVA following the workshop.

Chesterfield County’s Purchasing Department – Learn about Chesterfield County’s new Diversity Initiative and how to increase access to opportunities for procurement and contract activities with the county. You will be able to register for the County’s Bidders’ Mailing List following the workshop.

Small Business Resources – Learn about the Virginia Community Development Loan Fund’s Contractor Loan Program and the many small business resources available through the Virginia Department of Business Assistance and Chesterfield County’s Department of Economic Development.

For more information or to register for the event, please visit: http://chesterfieldbusiness.com/reg/

Small Business Owners, mark your calendar for June 27th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for an all-free event — the First Ever Small Business Resource Day at the Community College Workforce Alliance’s Center for Entrepreneurial Development Center at the Verizon Entrepreneurial Resource Center, AdvanTech, 501 East Franklin Street. Over 21 local, state and federal agencies plus Verizon, Wachovia Bank, Capital One Bank, BB&T, Richmond Times Dispatch, and TimesDispatch.com are coming to share valuable information to you, the Small Business Owner.

All of these organizations are dedicated to connecting the Small Business Community with Central Virginia’s valuable Resources. Each organization will have tables of information for you and will have time to answer many of your questions.

While you’re at the center take advantage of our 14 different complimentary small business related seminars.

These are some of the 30-minute seminars that will run from 9:00 a.m, to 5:00 p.m. don’t miss any of them:

• “Business Killers”
• “How MBE Certification can help your Small Business”
• “Marketing Sizzle with Direct Mail”
• “NxLevel Training Programs in Virginia”
• “Don’t give me another item for my To-Do list!”
• “An inside look at the Speaking Business”
• “What Can Small Businesses Do to Try and Control Healthcare Costs?”
• “The Aging Adventurer”
• “Creating your Marketing Message”
• “Choosing and Pricing the Right CPA for Your Business Success.

All seminars will be held in Room 105 (Seminar Room). The room seats approximately 35 persons and we have limited seating so “First Come First Seated!”

If you’ve not had the opportunity to see the Verizon Technotrain and the technology it has to offer you, it will be available for tours from 9:00 a.m. to noon in front of AdvanTech building.

To end our first annual Small Business Resource Day, join us at the Tobacco Company Restaurant from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. for the Small Business Appreciation Night happy hour with happy hour pricing on all beverages.

For more information on the day’s events and our participating resources, organizations and partners visit www.CCWAsmallbusiness.com or call (804) 521-4320.

The Richmond region has been recognized in the recent issues of two magazines as one of the nation’s top cities for business, careers and corporate headquarters.

The latest issue of Forbes magazine ranks the region No. 12 among the “Best Places for Business and Careers.”

Business Facilities magazine in its April issue ranks the Richmond region No. 11 among the “Best Cities for Corporate Headquarters.”

Austin, Atlanta and Dallas rank ahead of the Richmond region on the Forbes list. But the Richmond region outranks places such as Houston, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Santa Rosa, California.

Working with Economy.com, an economic and financial research firm, Forbes evaluated each city based on income, job growth and cost of doing business. For the first time, it also considered crime rates, housing costs and net migration.

Business Facilities magazine developed its “Best Cities for Corporate Headquarters” list by surveying corporate real estate executives, site-selection consultants and real estate professionals. The magazine discovered that “it’s the intangibles like prestige and recognition” that count heavily in corporate headquarters location.

Large cities such as Atlanta, New York, Charlotte and Chicago, as might be expected, lead the “Corporate Headquarters” list. The Richmond region, however, ranks ahead of places such as Denver and Jacksonville, Florida.

Rick Young, President of the Jefferson Davis Association (JDA) announced today that funding had been secured from the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce and Dupont to conduct a revitalization study for an area of the community located at the Route1/Chippenham Parkway interchange. The JDA has been working with the Chesterfield Planning Department and Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Planning and Urban Studies in this cooperative effort.

A graduate student intern has drafted a preliminary report working with the county planning department. In phase II, the information and findings will be further examined in a VCU site planning class being taught by local designer Ralph Higgins this summer. Students will develop specific recommendations for the study area and report back to the JDA and the Chesterfield County Planning Department.

Mr. Young indicated that he was extremely pleased with the novel cooperative working relationship between the JDA, VCU, Chesterfield County and the private sector all focusing efforts on improving the area and enhancing redevelopment opportunities for the community.

For more information contact George W. Schanzenbacher, AICP, Principal Planner, Chesterfield County Planning Department, 796-7194 or e-mail to schanzenbacherg@chesterfield.gov

Chesterfield County joins Governor Mark Warner and the Virginia Department of Business Assistance in acknowledging the contributions of Virginia business during Business Appreciation Week, May 11-17. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Success Starts Here.”

Governor Warner will host business owners and executives from across Virginia at the Governor’s Appreciation Breakfast on May 12 in Richmond.

The entire economic development community gratefully acknowledged the benefits brought to the people of Virginia, and Chesterfield County, by the businesses that continue to operate here year after year. While much attention has been given to new incoming businesses and the positive impact they have on a given area, it is important to also recognize the contributions made every day by our existing companies.

We appreciate all of you!

Chesterfield County Public Schools received a 2002 Excellence in Education certificate of recognition from Virginia Tech for a summer Curriculum Academics program that helps teachers link curriculum, instruction and assessment of students.

Thirteen more Chesterfield county public schools were accredited by the Virginia Department of Education in 2002. This means that 53 of the county’s 58 public schools, or 91.4 percent, are now fully accredited. Schools have until 2007 to achieve full accreditation under the Standards of Learning.

Chesterfield also has opened its own General Equivalency Diploma (GED) testing center. The GED Testing Center is at the Chesterfield Technical Center and normally administers tests on the second and fourth weekends of each month. For information: 768-6140.

Governor Mark R. Warner visited a workforce retraining program in Chester as part of Virginia’s strong, new emphasis on helping existing businesses retrain their workers in order to meet the competitive challenges of the new economy.

Governor Warner has made administrative reforms to – and proposed legislative reforms of – workforce training programs. He highlighted the new policies and proposals during a tour on January 31st of The HON Company, an office furniture manufacturer in Chester. The company will receive a grant from the state to help retrain 196 employees.

“Too often, workforce training programs only become available after a worker has lost his or her job through a layoff,” Governor Warner said. “There is a growing recognition that we need to place greater emphasis on training workers in existing businesses so that they can remain competitive and not lose their jobs in the first place.”

“The workforce retraining program here at The HON Company in is the kind of program we want to encourage throughout the Commonwealth,” he added.

The Governor announced that since launching the state Retraining Program in August 2002, 15 companies from throughout Virginia are already slated to receive a total of $1.1 million for retraining a total of 2,711 employees.

Under the Governor’s initiative, funds for the Retraining Program will come from the Workforce Investment Act, administered by the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) and from the Virginia Department of Business Assistance (DBA). DBA will administer the program.

“This partnership between DBA and the VEC is a prime example of how state government is striving to be more accountable, efficient and responsive in an era of severe fiscal constraints,” said Governor Warner. “In today’s competitive knowledge-based economy, it is vital for Virginia to partner with employers by investing in the training of workers.”

The Virginia Workforce Council, comprised of representatives from the business community, developed this strategy as part of its overall recommendations for Virginia’s workforce development policy.
DBA’s Retraining Program provides consulting services and funding to companies to assist in training their existing work force. Companies participating in the program are typically integrating new technology into their production processes, changing product lines in keeping with marketplace demands, or changing service delivery processes that require new skills and technological capabilities. In addition to the retraining program, DBA offers the same recruiting and training assistance to companies creating new jobs and investment in the Commonwealth and has recently launched a new program targeting small businesses.

Training services are provided through Virginia’s community colleges, school districts, area vocational-technical centers, state universities, licensed and certified post secondary private institutions and from subject matter experts, consultants, or trainers from the applying business.

For more information on Virginia’s Retraining Program, contact the Virginia Department of Business Assistance at (804) 371-8120.

The Virginia Electronic Commerce Technology Center (VecTec) of Christopher Newport University, in partnership with the Chesterfield County Community Development Block Grant Office and the Jefferson Davis Enterprise Center will present a workshop entitled “Bring the Customers In – Internet Marketing and Customer Service that Works” on March 13th from 9:30 – 11:30 at the Jefferson Davis Enterprise Center.

Learn how to successfully market your business on the Internet through a variety of strategies including: promotion strategies such as e-mail marketing and signature files; customer retention strategies like email newsletters; and search engine strategies. Real life examples will be presented with a special emphasis on customer service on the web. Discussion points to include:

• Secrets to building loyalty
• Ways to make customers feel extra special
• Responding on-time on and offline
• Up-to-date and accessible information
• Online presentation of merchandise

Where:

Jefferson Davis Enterprise Center

8310 Shell Road

Richmond, Virginia 23237

This information session is FREE but seating is limited. Please make your reservation by contacting Kristen Folmar, Business Revitalization Coordinator, Chesterfield CDBG Department
Phone: 804.777.3004 or Fax: 804.748.7549