June 8, 2005.
Business Intelligence for Virginia's Entrepreneurial Economy
Click here for a free subscription To update subscriber information click here.		In This Issue... Expansions, Relocations & Launches, Who's Hot, Who's Winning Business, Deal Makers, Innovations, R&D / Intellectual Property, 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
Sponsors: Legal Services Investment banking Email Marketing Experts Partners: B2B Marketing Research Virginia Technology Conference Partners: The Boomer Project National Association of Women Business Owners Virginia FREE Searchable Business Database Virginia Technology Alliance		Luna, Carilion to Develop Biomedical Cluster ROANOKE-Luna Innovations Incorporated, a Blacksburg technology development company, and Carilion Health System, a $1 billion healthcare company serving Western Virginia, will partner to develop a biomedical cluster in southwest Virginia. Moving and expanding its headquarters to the new Riverside Corporate Centre in Roanoke, Luna will bring 50 jobs to Roanoke. Since 2000, Luna has created four spin-off companies based on leading-edge technologies. The company's current innovation pipeline includes medical monitoring devices, next-generation cancer drug development, and nanomaterials-based MRI contrast agents--all opportunities that may benefit from the Carilion partnership. Said Luna CEO Kent Murphy: "We can discover, nurture, and commercialize innovations that solve global problems in our own back yard - and at the same time produce 21st century, cutting-edge jobs to benefit southwest Virginians." More. Coach Care Opens Cloverdale Service Center CLOVERDALE-Minneapolis-based Coach Care has opened a recreational vehicle service center on Interstate 81 north of Roanoke. The seven-acre facility features several wide bays to allow for servicing several RVs at once. The building showcases a covered, pull-up entrance for use in inclement weather and the lobby is stocked with RV accessories. More. In Brief... RICHMOND--Albemarle Corporation will expand production of its mineral-based flame retardants, MARTINAL and MAGNIFIN, by 20 percent by converting a former zeolite plant in Texas and doubling capacity of a plant in Austria. More. SPRINGFIELD--United Marketing Solutions, Inc., a provider of direct mail services, has installed two VideoJet Wide Array Inkjet systems capable of printing difficult jobs at speeds of up to 36,000 envelopes per hour. More. Nemacolin Woodlands Resort: The ULTIMATE VIP Conference Package Sunday-Thursday, June 2005, Sept 2005-May 2006 Golf on our PGA-rated Mystic Rock. Indulge in relaxing treatments at our world-class Woodlands Spa. Or strengthen your organization with our team-building activities... Just three hours from the Virginia/DC area. Luxury Overnight Accommodations VIP welcome amenity One Hour VIP Open Bar Welcome reception Catered Breakfast, Break Service, & Lunch day after arrival through day of departure Catered Private Dinner night of arrival through night before departure General Session Meeting room and A/V Package Choice of: Round of golf on The Links Course, 100 sporting clays, 2-hour Off Road Driving Academy, or 50-minute Swedish or Aromatherapy Massage Complimentary use of health club facilities Complimentary credit card, local, and 800 # access fees 10% discount off all retail purchases All Gratuities $579 Golf on our PGA-rated Mystic Rock. Indulge in relaxing treatments at our world-class Woodlands Spa. Or strengthen your organization with our team-building activities... Just three hours from the Virginia/DC area. For details, contact us at (742) 329-6154 or visit our website www.nemacolin.com
Back To Top	Who's Hot...
Need a Versatile Marketing Piece? Check out our sponsored profiles. We will develop a compelling storyline about your business. Find out more.		Tachyon Raises $7 Million to Fund Asia Expansion VIENNA--Tachyon Networks Inc., a provider of global satellite technology solutions, has secured $7 million in venture capital to fund its ongoing global service expansion and operations. The company expects this funding will sustain it to financial break-even by year-end 2005. Tachyon will use the money to continue to expand its global footprint to Asia, the Pacific Rim, Latin America and Africa and to scale its internal operations and systems to support the significant customer growth it anticipates. Tachyon solutions are ideally suited for business continuity applications, providing total network redundancy and ensuring that events such as natural disasters and landline outages do not hinder data communications or reduce productivity. More. Monarch Bank Raises $6.5 Million CHESAPEAKE--Monarch Bank, a community bank with six locations in Hampton Roads, has raised more than $6.5 million in capital from its recently announced stock offering. The company will invest the proceeds in "growth and profit initiatives," including the opening of a branch in Virginia Beach's Town Center market. More. RoomStore Departs from Bankruptcy RICHMOND--RoomStore, Inc., has emerged from Heilig-Meyers Company's Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as a 65-store chain operating in Virginia and six other states. Backed by $35 million in working capital from Bank of America, the company provides a wide selection of coordinated home furnishings in complete room packages at value-oriented prices. More. In Brief... MECHANICSVILLE--River City Bank, a community bank with $32.7 million in assets, has commenced a rights offering of 310,000 shares of common stock to shareholders of record as of May 24, 2005 and a public offering of 310,000 shares of common stock. More.
Back To Top	Who's Winning Business...
		BWX Renews Nuke Contracts Worth $5 Billion LYNCHBURG--BWX Technologies, Inc., has received notification from the National Nuclear Security Administration that its contracts at nuclear weapons complexes in Amarillo, Tex., and Oak Ridge, Tenn., will be extended through 2010. The extensions are worth a combined total of $5.9 billion. The Amarillo plant is charged with maintaining the safety, security and reliability of the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile. The Oak Ridge facility focuses on the production and refurbishment of weapons components, storage of nuclear material and preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction. More. CapTech to Supply RFID Integration Software RICHMOND-CapTech, an IT consulting firm, has been cleared by the Department of Defense to provide its TagsWare RFID Integration Software to a state-of-the-art, military logistics project. TagsWare supports Radio Frequency Identification technology used to provide a common, integrated structure for logistic identification, tracking, locating, and monitoring of commodities and assets throughout the Department of Defense. More. In Brief... RESTON--Transaction Network Services has won a contract to transport data between the Warsaw Stock Exchange and its members, enabling exchange members to connect quickly and easily. More. RICHMOND--Cadmus Communications Corporation has implemented Rapid Production Manager, its web-based workflow management and tracking system, for the American Physiological Society, publisher of 14 scholarly journals. More.
Back To Top	Deal Makers
		DiaKine Acquires New Drug Application for Diabetes CHARLOTTESVILLE--DiaKine Therapeutics, Inc., a development-stage drug company investigating diabetes therapies, has acquired the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for Lisofylline from Cell Therapeutics, Inc., of Seattle. DiaKine will administer and maintain the IND as the company conducts human clinical trials of the effectiveness of Lisofylline in treating diabetes and its complications. "Having the DiaKine-managed IND in place for Lisofylline is an important milestone that adds considerable value to the company," said CEP Keith D. Ignotz. "The process of preparing an IND application is costly and time consuming. Acquiring the rights to the IND allows us to move more rapidly and efficiently into the next phase of clinical trials." More. Bassett Buys Eight Stores in Dallas BASSETT--Bassett Furniture Industries Inc. has agreed to acquire a controlling interest in eight Bassett Furniture Direct stores in greater Dallas, Tex. Said CEO Robert H. Spilman Jr.: "We've experienced solid improvement in our Corporate Store Program over the past two years. … This operation will provide our Corporate Store Program with greater scale allowing us to drive the consistency and uniformity we believe are vital. …We will provide both the organizational and financial strength needed to improve the performance of these stores." More. Focus Diagnostics Licenses Luminex Technology HERNDON--Focus Diagnostics, a provider of infectious disease testing services, will license multiplexing technology for use in infectious disease products. Said CEO Charles C. Harwood, Jr.: "Based on our market research, laboratorians and infectious disease physicians believe our new infectious disease multiplex products will have a profound impact on both clinical and laboratory practice related to the detection and management of infectious diseases." More. Capital Automotive Revs Up Canadian Business MCLEAN--Capital Automotive REIT has formed a joint venture with Kimco Realty Corporation to acquire automotive retail real estate in Canada. The venture will purchase real estate and lease it to operators of franchised automotive dealerships under long-term, triple-net leases. In some circumstances, the venture also will provide mortgages, facility improvements, construction financing and takeout commitments. The enterprise has closed already on its first two acquisitions, totaling $6.5 million (Canadian), in Toronto. More.
Back To Top	Innovations
		You can't get there from here The Lighter Sign of Life FRONT ROYAL--Can the same road sign say both North 250 and South 28? Does "US Gov't, Private Property" make sense to you? Can the Donner Pass "Picnic Ground" possibly be appropriate? Anyone who's ever wished they'd taken a photo of a curious sign that caught their eye now has some incentive to get that picture. But there's no prize, no new car, not even a trophy, just a moment of fame on a Web page. The idea comes from Jay Buckner, a high-tech marketing communications director who escaped from Silicon Valley and now lives in Front Royal, where he offers creative solutions to companies marketing technology products and services--and photographs interesting signs. According to Jay, "The contest is a 'Why Not' thing." Why not? Highway signs, building signs, billboards, store signs, etc. will all be considered. No dogs, please. No babies. More. Nextel Launches Italian-Inspired Handset RESTON--Nextel Communications Inc. has announced availability of the Motorola i836, a "sleek and stylish" wireless phone that delivers advanced Nextel features including digital phone service, GPS capability, walkie-talkie service, group conferencing and multimedia messaging. With a metallic graphite-colored finish and lines "inspired by an Italian sports car," the four-ounce Motorola i836 costs $199. More. TopGolf: A Driving Range on Steroids ALEXANDRIA-Golf Entertainment International will open its first U.S. digital golf center, a $4.5 million, state-of-the-art facility that features a points-scoring golf game played with real clubs. Microchips in the golf balls deliver instant feedback on the distance and accuracy of each shot. Players aim to score as many points as possible by hitting into 11 target greens situated between 25 and 240 yards from the tee-line. The center, which offers a cafe/bar that delivers food and beverages directly to their driving bay, is located on the site of the former Mid-Atlantic Golf Driving Range. TopGolf also will offer professional instruction. More. Stratocash Launches Online Payment Service for People Who Hate Credit Cards CHARLOTTESVILLE-Commerce Options, Inc., has launched Stratocash.com, a platform that enables Web merchants to accept payments from customers who do pay by credit card. Stratocash processes payments via debit card, check, money order, electronic currency and pre-paid card. Says Kevin Higgins, CEO of Strategic Payments, Inc.: "Stratocash is the easiest and most cost effective way for merchants to become more accessible to consumers who can't or won't use a credit card online, consumers seeking more privacy than credit card transactions provide, and consumers in countries where credit card usage is not ubiquitous." More. Genworth Targets Market for Mortgage Fraud Protection RICHMOND--Genworth Financial, Inc., has introduced, SecureFirst, a service that alerts lenders to potential fraud in mortgage loan applications. Losses from mortgage fraud totaled $400 million in 2004, according to FBI figures. SecureFirst, the first fraud protection screening service on the market, examines a loan's potential fraud risk by analyzing property and relationship details between borrowers, brokers, appraisers, specific market regions, and other known interactions. Results are available in less than a minute. More. TotalVid Expands into Travel Videos NORFOLK--TotalVid, a video download store, is supplying video highlight clips of dozens of global destinations through Wcities, a provider of online guides for 1,900 cities. After viewing a clip of a particular city, consumers can purchase the full-length video for as little as $1.99 by downloading it directly onto their PC. Travelers can then watch the video at home, on a plane or anywhere else. More. ZyLAB Adds Redaction Tools VIENNA--ZyLAB, a developer of content management solutions for paper intensive organizations, has introduced advanced redaction-the legal "blacking out" of restricted details in documents-as a feature in its ZyIMAGE Legal Product Suite. Redaction is often an intensive manual process, usually done by hand with black markers, which means it is expensive and is prone to errors. More. MCI Unveils Service to Thwart Internet Threats ASHBURN--NetSec, an MCI company, has introduced WAN Defense, a service to help business and government customers combat Distributed Denial of Service attacks, worms and viruses before they enter an enterprise network. By establishing baseline traffic profiles at the individual customer level, NetSec is able to identify, report and notify customers of traffic anomalies, enabling enterprises to take immediate and targeted actions against specific threats or attacks inside the network perimeter. More.
Back To Top	R&D / Intellectual Property
		ATCC Brands its Bugs MANASSAS--American Type Culture Collection, the world's largest nonprofit biological resource center, has unveiled its "ATCC Genuine Cultures" emblem to help customers identify microbial strains that come directly from ATCC. The authenticity of microorganisms is paramount to the scientific process because these microorganisms serve as the foundation for scientific discovery. "The frequent use of ATCC designations can make it difficult for the customer to tell which products are authentic ATCC strains and which are counterfeits," said CEO Raymond H. Cypess. "The ATCC Genuine Cultures emblem assures customers that the product … meets ATCC's high standards backed by meticulous laboratory procedures and 80 years of experience." More. Virginia Joins Regional Nanotech Initiative ROCKVILLE, Md.-Virginia is partnering with Maryland and the District of Columbia in a collaborative effort to solidify the region's leadership in nanotechnology research, development and commercialization. The Chesapeake Nanotechnology Initiative (CNI) will bring together leaders from private industry, academia, and federal, state, and local governments to build a vibrant nanotech business cluster in the Mid-Atlantic region. According to National Science Foundation reports, worldwide industrial production in nanotechnology sectors is estimated to exceed $1 trillion in 10-15 years, requiring about 2 million nanotechnology workers. More.
Back To Top	People
		In Brief... RICHMOND--Owens & Minor has named Richard W. Mears, a veteran of Perot Systems Corporation, as senior vice president, chief information officer. More.
Back To Top	Trends
Chmura Economics & Analytics		April Employment Growth. Employment in Virginia increased 1.6 percent for the twelve months ending with April 2005 compared with a 1.7 percent gain in U.S. employment. With the exception of Danville (-0.8 percent), all of the state's metropolitan areas showed positive job growth over the past year. The strongest growth occurred in Northern Virginia (+4.3 percent), Roanoke (+2.5 percent), and Charlottesville (+2.4 percent). The monthly periodicity of employment data makes it the most timely and encompassing measure of regional economic growth. For details and forecasts of economic conditions across Virginia, as well as a list of Chmura Economics & Analytics (CEA) products and services, For the latest analytics on labor market and workforce trends across Virginia, click here, or call (804) 649-1107. Virginia's "Semi-Wired" Cities The Washington, D.C., metro area ranked 14 in Intel's third annual "Most Unwired Cities" ranking of the 100 largest cities and regions for wireless accessibility. Seattle, San Francisco and Austin topped the list. Richmond-Petersburg scored in the middle of the pack at No. 39, while Norfolk-Virginia Beach dragged in at No. 63. The rock bottom losers? Bakerfield, Calif., Scranton, Pa., and McAllen, Tex. More.
Back To Top	Other News
		Covance Sues PETA, Wants Videos Back VIENNA-Covance Inc., a Princeton, N.J., provider of drug development services, has filed a lawsuit against the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and its "agent," Lisa Leitten, charging fraud, violation of employee contract, and conspiracy to harm the company's business. Alleging that Leitten lied about her true intentions to gain employment at Covance's Vienna facility, the company demanded the return of al video, audio and other materials. Said General Counsel James Lovett: "These deceitful acts do nothing to improve the care of research animals and only serve to impede the development of safe and effective new medicines to treat HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, heart disease, leukemia, diabetes, Alzheimer's and other diseases." More. Lockheed Martin Advances Military Communications Project MANASSAS--Lockheed Martin has successfully completed a major system design review on the Airborne, Maritime and Fixed Station component of the military's Joint Tactical Radio Systems (JTRS) program. JTRS is modernizing the communications systems used aircraft, ground forces and warships, replacing aging, stove-pipe radios with hardware and software that will allow pilots, sailors and commanders to communicate with any other friendly unit. More. Apple Hospitality Reviews Strategic Alternatives RICHMOND--Apple Hospitality Two, Inc., a real estate investment trust, has engaged UBS Investment Bank as a financial advisor to help evaluate strategic alternatives, including a possible sale, merger or listing of Apple Hospitality Two. Focusing on the upscale, extended-stay suite segment of the hotel industry, the company manages a portfolio of 66 hotels in 25 states. More. In Brief... GRUNDY-CONSOL Energy Inc., has reopened its Buchanan County mine at Keen Mountain, recalling 400 miners to work, more than three months after a rock fall and methane explosion shut down operations. More. MCLEAN--The Virginia Baseball Stadium Authority has voted to close its Northern Virginia office by the end of June, bringing a formal end to Virginia's 13-year effort to attract Major League Baseball to a Virginia site within greater Washington. More.
Back To Top	Commentary
Re-VITA-lyzing Government After two years, the Virginia Information Technologies Agency is generating cost savings and making government more accessible to citizens. More.		Why June 14 Matters The politicians are poised to raise your taxes again. By voting for anti-tax candidates in the GOP primary, you can send a message: We insist that state government do better. In all likelihood, you're not going to bother voting June 14 in either the Republican or Democratic Party primaries. Like most of your fellow citizens, you probably figure the top spots -- Jerry Kilgore for the GOP and Tim Kaine for the Demos -- are a lock. And you haven't been paying very close attention to the other races, so you really don't care who gets nominated. More.
Back To Top	Events
Hosting an event? Post the details in our weekly events listing. Click here for our listing guidelines.		June 15 Richmond The Central Virginia Chapter of the Project Management Institute will hold a monthly dinner meeting featuring Ken Mauldin, founder and president of Projecting Success, on the topic, "A Client's Perspective of Project Management: The True Measure of Project Success." Time: 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Location: Holiday Inn Koger Center South. Charge: $35 for non-members. For more information and to register by credit card, click here. June 16 Roanoke The NewVa Corridor Technology Council will hold its monthly technology and toast breakfast, featuring Larry Curfiss, vice president and director of business development for ITT Night Vision. He will discuss how ITT Night Vision dominates its market space with critical technologies for the military and first responders. Time: 7:15 a.m. to 9 a.m. Location: Wyndham Hotel, Roanoke. Charge: $25 for non-members. For more information, click here. June 17 Richmond The National Association of Purchasing Management-VA will hold a seminar on "Your Professional Development-A 360° Perspective" , featuring Dr. Wally Johnston, management consultant; Charles Meacham, Dominioni Resources Services; and Ellen Raynor, McKesson. Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Location: Dominion Resources Services, Glen Allen. For seminar and registration information, click here. June 18 Richmond The Central Virginia Chapter of the Project Management Institute will hold a Professional Development Saturday Seminar featuring Jim Mercante, TGaS Consulting, on the topic, "Creating a Customer Care Plan for your Project." Time: 8 a.m. to noon. Location: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Charge: $55 for non-members. For more information and to register by credit card, click here. June 22 Fredericksburg The Virginia Department of Business Assistance presents a Virginia Economic Development Seminar, "Selling to the Commonwealth and Buyer-Supplier Exchange." Explore opportunities for growing your business through state government contracts for goods, services and construction. Time: 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Location: Wingate Inn, Fredericksburg. Charge: $25. For more information click here or call (804) 371-8200. June 23 Richmond The Charlottesville Venture Group/Entrenet presents its ongoing Breakfast Dialogue program with a panel discussion on the topic, "Minority Ownership, Majority Headaches." Time: 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Location: Jepson Alumni Center, University of Richmond. To register click here. Sept. 18-20 Richmond The Greater Richmond Convention Center is the site for the 7th annual Commonwealth of Virginia Information Technology Symposium (COVITS 2005). Virginia's signature business and technology event is hosted by Secretary of Technology, Eugene Huang for the Governor of Virginia, Mark Warner. The COVITS 2005 theme is: "The Promise of the Digital Government." COVITS 2005 is nationally recognized as a key event where industry solutions meet government requirements. Issues and challenges facing governments and the solutions offered by the private sector will be examined. For more information and to register, please click here. October 26-28 Roanoke The Virginia Department of Transportation, Virginia Department of Rail & Public Transportation, Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, Virginia Port Authority, Virginia Department of Aviation, and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute will co-host the 54th Virginia Transportation Conference. This year's theme is "Virginia Transportation: At the Crossroads Investing in Mobility and Accessibility." Transportation leaders from across Virginia and other states will participate in this high-caliber event. Location: Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. For more information please visit the website here.
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