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| Business Intelligence for Virginia's Entrepreneurial Economy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In This Issue... Expansions, Relocations and Launches, Who's Hot, Who's Winning Business, Deal Makers, Innovations, Partnerships & Collaborations, Research & Development, People, Trends, Other News, Commentary, Events Click here to forward to a friend or colleague who might like this newsletter. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Expansions, Relocations & Launches   | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Philip Morris to Invest $100 Million in York County RICHMOND--Philip Morris USA will invest up to $100 million in its York County facility. Initially creating 75 jobs, the company will occupy the former York Manufacturing Center, which closed in 2003. Operations are scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2007, and additional new jobs are anticipated as the facility ramps up production. More. Merck to Invest $57 in Expansion of Elkton Plant ELKTON--Merck & Co., Inc. will invest $57 million to expand the role its Elkton facility plays in producing GARDASIL, Merck's cervical cancer vaccine. The investment will include construction of a new building and the installation of equipment for the purification process -- a key stage in manufacturing the product. Merck recently completed construction of a vaccine fermentation facility at Elkton, which will be used to support an earlier stage in the GARDASIL manufacturing process. More. SRI to Open Research Center in Harrisonburg HARRISONBURG--SRI International, an independent, nonprofit research institute, will establish its new Center for Advanced Drug Research in Rockingham County. The Center will partner with James Madison University and other Virginia institutions in its research efforts. SRI also plans to add programs in homeland security, engineering, nanotechnology, energy, information technology and education. By the end of the first ten years of operation, the project will create more than 100 new jobs with an average annual compensation of $85,000. More. Virginia Completes First Design-Build Road Project PORTSMOUTH--The Virginia Department of Transportation has opened the first design-build roadway project in Virginia, expanding access to APM Terminals and doubling the shipping capacity of the port. The private design-build team, which included contractor Tidewater Skanska and engineering firm Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, completed the $22 million project ahead of schedule. Said Greg Lassiter, director of Design-Build Delivery for VHB: "The resulting time savings from this design-build contract meant lower costs for the Commonwealth of Virginia and earlier utilization of APMT's marine container terminal. This project is a model of what the design-build method should be all about." More. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Who's Hot | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Advance Auto Hits $1 Billion in Annual Sales ROANOKE--Advance Auto Parts, Inc., an automotive aftermarket retailer, has reached a milestone of $1 billion in commercial sales during a single fiscal year. Said CEO Michael Coppola: "In addition to this milestone for our commercial program, 2006 has held many celebration opportunities including opening our 3,000th store and celebrating our fifth anniversary as a public company." More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Who's Winning Business | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Global Linguistics Lands $4.6 Billion Foreign Language Contract FALLS CHURCH-Global Linguistic Solutions LLC., a joint venture formed by DynCorp International and McNeil Technologies, has won a five-year contract potentially worth $4.6 billion to manage translation and interpretation services in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. GLS will provide foreign-language interpretation and translation services to the United States Army and U.S. government agencies, including embedded Iraqi translators who will operate with U.S. forces. GLS will employ up to 6,000 locally hired translators and up to 1,000 United States citizens with security clearances who are native speakers of languages spoken in Iraq. More Orbital Snags $27 Million Minotaur Contract DULLES--Orbital Sciences Corporation has been awarded a $27 million contract for two Minotaur IV launch vehicles by the U.S. Air Force Space and Missiles Systems Space Development and Test Wing. The Minotaur IV launch vehicles will deliver the NTVs to a precise point in space, after which the test vehicles will separate and carry out guided test flights at hypersonic velocities. More ICF Cleans up with Greenhouse Contract FAIRFAX--ICF International has been awarded the Clean Energy Policy and Program Support contract, a five-year, $10 million engagement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The purpose of the program is to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gas and other pollutants by removing barriers to clean energy investments by utilities, state and local governments, and other key stakeholders. More In Brief... FALLS CHURCH--Arrowhead Global Solutions, Inc., has won a $20 million contract to provide the U.S. Marine Corps with commercial satellite capabilities to expand its communication reach worldwide. More. FAIRFAX--SRA International, Inc., has been awarded a $10.5 million competitive task order to provide information technology support to the Environmental Protection Agency's Brownfields Program. More. ARLINGTON-General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems has won a $10 million contract to produce hardware and software that enables submarines to process acoustic signals collected by towed and hull arrays, sphere arrays and ship monitoring systems. More. MCLEAN--BearingPoint, Inc., a management and technology consulting firm, has won a $5.9 million contract, to be fulfilled in Hampton Roads, to provide information technology services in support of transition to the Navy-Marine Corps Intranet. More. RICHMOND--Cadmus Communications Corporation has been awarded a four-year contract extension by the American Physiological Society to provide scholarly journal production services including composition, content management, printing, and web-based production tracking. More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Deal Makers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dominion to Buy Interest in W.Va Wind Farm RICHMOND-Dominion, one of the nation's largest energy producers, will acquire a 50 percent interest in a wind-turbine facility being developed by a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell in Grant County, W.Va. The wind facility, located near Dominion's Mt. Storm Power Station, will produce 164 megawatts of electricity. Said CEO Tom Farrell: "This is a great opportunity for Dominion to increase its renewable energy portfolio as the industry looks for ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Our venture into the wind-energy market is another step we are taking to improve the region's environment." More. Augusta Lumber Recapitalized WAYNESBORO-Augusta Lumber Co., Inc., a supplier of hardwood logs, lumber and flooring, has been recapitalized by H.I.G. Capital, a Miami-based private equity firm. Founded in 1955, Augusta has extensive operations in timber-rights purchasing, sawmills, kiln-drying, flooring manufacturing, and logistical support. It operates six facilities in Virginia and West Virginia and a retail operation under the name Hardwood Solutions in Frederick, Md. More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Innovations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Want Healthy Babies? Floss Your Teeth ROANOKE--Delta Dental of Virginia, provider of dental coverage for more than one million Virginians, has unveiled a new benefit to improve the health of diabetics and reduce the rate of premature, low birth weight babies. Delta is offering an extra teeth-cleaning procedure to diabetics and pregnant women. Said dental director George Moumaras: "This direct connection between oral health and overall health is especially evident with diabetes and, most recently, in relation to periodontal disease and the delivery of premature, low birth weight babies." More. TARGUSinfo Introduces Enhanced Data Capability VIENNA--TARGUSinfo, a provider of caller name services, has released Enhanced Call Detail services for the telecommunications market. The services provide a wealth of data that telco providers can share with subscribers to reduce churn and promote subscriber growth. Said Gartner Research VP Alex Winogradoff, "Having real-time caller information that goes beyond the telephone number will permit [telcos] to develop value-added services beyond billing applications, such as interactive address books and other personal management tools." More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | R&D / Intellectual Property | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Hokies Discover that DNA Strands are Flexible BLACKSBURG-Virginia Tech researchers have used a novel methodology and the university's System X supercomputer to carry out what may be the first simulation that explores the range of motion of a full-length DNA strand. Contrary to a long-held belief that DNA is hard to bend, the simulation shows in crisp atomic detail that DNA is considerably more flexible than commonly thought. More. Luna Licenses Laser Technology ROANOKE--Luna Innovations Incorporated has negotiated a technology transfer and licensing agreement with Coherent, Inc., of Santa Clara, Calif., giving Luna the right to manufacture and sell the former Iolon "Apollo" line of swept tunable lasers. The laser, which offers high performance in a compact footprint, are applicable to a range of fiber optic test and measurement, instrumentation, and sensing applications. More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | People | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Freeman Appointed President of Universal RICHMOND--Universal Corporation, an international tobacco merchant and processor, has appointed George C. Freeman III to succeed Allen B. King as president. King will remain chairman and CEO. Freeman was an attorney at Hunton & Williams before joining Universal in 1997. More. Bankers Insurance Promotes Fleming to CEO RICHMOND--Bankers Insurance, LLC, has named P. Marshall Fleming president and CEO, elevating him from the position of COO, which he has occupied since 2002. With $20 million in revenue, Bankers Insurance ranks as the fifth-largest agency in Virginia. More. In Brief... RICHMOND--McGuireWoods LLP, a full-service law firm with 750 lawyers and offices in 15 cities, has appointed Richard Cullen to succeed Robert L. Burrus, Jr., as chairman. More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Trends | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Chmura Economics & Analytics |
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 Blacksburg wages. Historically, the annual average wage in the Blacksburg metro area has been lower than the state, attributable in part to a lower cost of living. Still, the pace of wage growth in Blacksburg has recently eclipsed that of the state. For the year ending with the second quarter of 2006, the average wage in Blacksburg stood at $33,643, 7.0 percent higher than one year earlier. By comparison, the average wage in Virginia increased 5.5 percent over the last year to reach $43,693. For the latest analytics on labor market and workforce trends across Virginia, click here or call 804-649-1107. Remember that Fuss about Outsourcing IT Jobs to India? ALEXANDRIA--After a brief pullback in October, United States IT employment resumed its climb in November, adding 5,300 jobs for a total of 3,674,300 IT workers. Since November 2005, IT employment is up more than 132,000, or almost 4.0 percent, reaching full employment in the field. More. Virginia Manufacturing Job Losses Continue EVANSTON, Ill.--Virginia lost 1.6 percent of its manufacturing jobs over the past 12 months, according to the 2007 Virginia Manufacturers Directory, an industrial guide published annually by Manufacturers' News, Inc. The loss of 6,513 manufacturing jobs since November 2005 continued a trend of recent years, amounting to the loss of 25,844 manufacturing jobs since November 2002. Manufacturers still employ almost 400,000 in the state. Said Thomas Dubin, president of MNI: "Outsourcing, mergers, and consolidation contributed to the loss of manufacturing jobs as well as automated manufacturing processes that require fewer workers." More. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Other News | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Universal to Sell Non-Tobacco Businesses RICHMOND--Universal Corporation has adopted a plan to sell its remaining non-tobacco agri-products businesses, including a British trading company that handles nuts, dates, and apricots; trading companies in Richmond and Seattle, Wash., that handle nuts and dried fruits; and a California nut processing company. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2006, these businesses reported combined revenues of about $325 million and a combined operating loss of approximately $6 million. More. Wallops Launches Its First Commercial Rocket WALLOPS ISLAND--The NASA Wallops Flight has launched a U.S. Air Force Minotaur 1 rocket, carrying a TacSat-2 satellite and NASA's GeneSat-1 microsatellite. It was the first successful commercial rocket launch in the 11-year history of the spaceport. More. Philip Morris to Implement Inventory Management Solution RICHMOND-Philip Morris USA has selected Nexiant, of Irvine, Calif., to provide a full-service inventory management solution. The contract includes implementation of software, hardware and professional services starting with Philip Morris USA's manufacturing center in Richmond and its Park 500 facility in Chester. More. FiOS Enters Richmond Market RICHMOND-Verizon is introducing its digital, all-fiber FiOS TV service in Henrico County. The service reaches affluent neighborhoods accounting for 15,000 households. The company expects the digital TV service to reach neighborhoods with more than 20,000 households in the city of Richmond by the end of the year. More. Alltell Expands Wireless Broadband to Lynchburg, Charlottesville LYNCHBURG--Alltell Wireless is expanding its wireless Axcess Broadband service to Lynchburg, Charlottesville and nearby communities. Alltell's next-generation EVDO technology provides Internet connections at speeds rivaling broadband connections such as cable modem or DSL. More. Radford Completes Phase One of Broadband Deployment RADFORD--Designed Telecommunications has completed phase one of a four-phase project that will deliver broadband internet services across the entire city of Radford. Radnet will offer 3 Mbps connections to consumer and business customers in two square miles of town around the Radford University campus. The project is expected to connect all Radford homes and businesses via by the end of 2007. More. And last but not least... Flight Explorer Launches Santa Tracker MCLEAN--Flight Explorer, a provider of real-time global flight tracking information, has launched its free Santa Claus tracking service. The company has projected Santa's projected globe-girdling flight path and will provide visual updates on Santa's location throughout the Christmas day. More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Commentary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Neighborhood Values If you want to promote family values, dispense with cultural wedge issues like abortion and gay marriage and focus on creating supportive dooryards and neighborhoods. More. |
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Design by Fire Truck Why can't developers today create walkable communities like the small towns of the 1920s? Go ask your fire marshal. Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, a world-renowned architect and urban planner, huddled with Deputy Fire Marshal David Seay to work out a critical issue regarding the rezoning and redevelopment of the Tree Hill farm in Henrico County. They were taking a break from the scheduled agenda of a charrette -- an intensive planning and design session -- to haggle over one of the pricklier issues to emerge from meetings with neighbors, county officials and other interested parties. More. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Events | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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