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| Business Intelligence for Virginia's Entrepreneurial Economy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In This Issue... Expansions, Relocations & Launches, Who's Hot, Who's Not, Who's Winning Business, Deals & Partnerships, 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 |
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Wyeth Invests $30 Million in Richmond Plant Upgrade RICHMOND--Wyeth, a major pharmaceutical manufacturer, will expand its manufacturing and distribution operations in eastern Henrico County, investing $30 million in highly automated packaging equipment, robotic material handling systems and electronic systems for production and inventory data. The new investment will allow Wyeth to increase production volumes, making the Virginia location one of the company's largest sites in the country. Upgrades to the company's technology systems will provide additional higher-skilled job opportunities. More. Sussex County Finds Lucky Charm in McGill-Leprechaun SUSSEX COUNTY-North Carolina-based McGill-Leprechaun will invest $5 million to construct a biodegradable material recovery and recycling center in Sussex County. The facility will manufacture organic fertilizers and soil amendments, creating up to 25 new jobs in the first year. McGill operates two other facilities in North Carolina, as well as three in Ireland. Said President Noel Lyons: "We chose to locate in Sussex County because we recognize the definite business advantage of uncomplicated access to high-density population areas via existing road systems. From Sussex County, we have excellent client potential for our services and great opportunities for sales of our organic soil amendment products in the Richmond-Petersburg and Hampton Roads areas." More. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Who's Hot... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Partners:  B2B Marketing Research  Virginia Technology Conference |
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MobileAccess Closes $6 Million Funding VIENNA--MobileAccess Networks, a developer of in-building wireless solutions, has closed $6 million in Series D funding to fuel the company's accelerating growth. The cash infusion will enable the company to expand its sales team and marketing to the healthcare, financial services, and government sectors. The proceeds also will fund the application of the MobileAccess universal wireless platform within vertical industries such as healthcare. More. In Brief... HERNDON--MAINSTREET BANK, a community bank, has commenced a public offering of shares of one million shares of common stock at $11.00 per share. More. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Who's Winning Business... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 The Boomer Project  National Association of Women Business Owners  Virginia FREE  Searchable Business Database  Virginia Technology Alliance
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AMERIGROUP to Expand Texas Operations VIRGINIA BEACH-AMERIGROUP Corporation, a manager of health care services for governments, will expand its healthcare coverage for Texas Medicaid recipients in six cities, including Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth and Austin. The awards by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission will expand AMERIGROUP-administered programs by 401,000 eligibles. More. Sure, It Can Do Containers, but Can It Do Camels? MCLEAN-The Security and Transportation Business Unit of Science Applications International Corporation has been selected by Royal Oman Police Customs to supply its VACIS cargo, vehicle and contraband inspection system for border crossings and Port Sultan Qaboos. An entire series of containers can be scanned in a single pass. More. BearingPoint to Promote Economy, Harmony in Cyprus MCLEAN--BearingPoint, Inc., a business consulting and systems integration firm, has won a three-year, $10 million contract from the United States Agency for International Development to help Cypriots improve their business practices. With the goal of creating a climate that will support the re-unification of the island, which is divided between ethnic Greeks and Turks, BearingPoint will work with Cypriot firms to develop and strengthen supply-chain links, implement product and service standards, and train small enterprises on how to develop marketing and operations strategies. More. ManTech Awarded $11.4 Million Simulation/Training Contract FAIRFAX--ManTech International Corporation has won an $11.4 million contract to provide modeling and simulation/tactical training applications in support of the Naval Sea Systems Command. The ManTech training program depicts the locating, identifying, tracking, and engagement of targets, and displays tactical interactions in a variety of views. Simulations will cover anti-submarine, anti-surface and anti-air warfare, and expeditionary, strike and electronic warfare. More. In Brief... SPRINGFIELD--VERSAR, Inc., has been awarded a 10-year, $598 million contract to provide environmental engineering, remediation and professional services for the Air National Guard. More. ALEXANDRIA--Analex Corporation, a leading provider of mission-critical professional services, has won a three-year basic ordering agreement from the U.S. Navy with a ceiling of $47 million. More. ARLINGTON--CACI International Inc. has been awarded an $11 million task order to continue work on the Defense Personnel Records Image Retrieval System, a secure web portal that allows access to official military personnel records in digital image format. More. HERNDON-Deltek has been selected by the international Development Division of agribusiness giant Land O'Lakes to implement its Deltek Enterprise suite for improving international accounting, resource planning and human resources functionality. More. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Deals & Partnerships | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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mindSHIFT Buys Union Square FAIRFAX--mindSHIFT Technologies, an IT services provider, has acquired Union Square Technology Group LLC, a provider of IT systems integration, professional services and managed services for the legal sector. The New York-based Union Square generates approximately $8 million in annual revenue. The purchase expands mindSHIFT's ability to deliver services to the legal industry. More. TAC Stacks the Odds Against the Bad Guys FAIRFAX--The Analysis Corporation has partnered with Poolesville, Md.-based Visual Analytics Inc., to provide intelligence and law-enforcement agencies with a customizable search tool capable of analyzing structured and unstructured data in all major languages. Combined identity search and data mining capabilities enable investigators to comb through volumes of data to identify individuals and uncover potential links to financial, geographic and national networks. More. AOL, Plaxo to Partner on Address Updates DULLES--America Online, Inc., has partnered with Mountain View, Calif.-based Plaxo, Inc., to help members keep e-mail address books and instant-messaging buddy-list features up to date. AOL will integrate Plaxo with its own e-mail service so AOL subscribers can easily synchronize contact information in their Microsoft Outlook and third-party Web-based e-mail address books. More. AgilQuest Jumps OnBoard the Asia-Pacific Market RICHMOND--AgilQuest Corporation, developer of the OnBoard Workplace Management Solution, has partnered with MTM Solutions, a Singapore specialist in office environments, to market and support OnBoard in the Asia Pacific region. OnBoard enables mobile workers to share office space and conference rooms, bolstering productivity and reducing real-estate expenditures. More. Mobile 365 Partners with CNN CHANTILLY--Mobile 365, a developer of mobile messaging and data services, will host and manage a global mobile stock quote alert service for CNN. Entitled "Global Market Wrap," the service will be delivered using Mobile 365's Web-based Application Manager and distributed over the company's global, 500-carrier distribution footprint. Said Matthew Talbot, managing director-Asia: "Mobile 365 is delighted to work with leading broadcasters, such as CNN, to augment its brand and drive consumer loyalty." More. Hilb Rogal to Acquire Benefits Firm RICHMOND--Hilb Rogal & Hobbs Company, the world's eighth largest insurance and risk management intermediary, has agreed to acquire the operating assets of KYBA Benefits, an Atlanta employee benefits firm. KYBA reported $4.5 million in revenues in 2004. Said HRH CEO Martin L. Vaughan, III: "In our pursuit of being the premier provider of employee benefits and consulting services nationally, we are aggressively looking for strong partners in major cities. The addition of KYBA Benefits to our Atlanta operation greatly expands and deepens HRH's presence and capabilities in that very vibrant marketplace." More. In Brief... RESTON, Va.--ObjectVideo, a developer of intelligent video technologies, has signed an agreement with Chubb Security, the global fire safety and security services division of United Technologies Corp., to distribute its products. More. NORFOLK--Crawford & Company Claims Management Services has been appointed by Lloyd's of London as the Lloyds agent in Norfolk, part of a worldwide network of 350 businesses that provide a range of surveying services to the maritime market. More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Innovations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Reliving Hairy Thrills in the Comfort of Your Own Home CHANTILLY--XTREMEX3, a developer of multimedia data fusion systems, will introduce its on-ride digital video at Paramount's King's Dominion in Ashland. The system records and synchronizes multi-camera full-motion videos of every guest in every car from the moment the train leaves the station through every heart-pounding moment to the end of the ride. The turnkey system produces full-motion DVD mementos for each guest. Said CEO Phil Sweatman: "Our patent-pending on-ride digital video system is the next-generation of retail concessions for theme parks. It's not just about increasing per capita revenue, it's about innovation! Guests exit the park with branded, full-motion video mementos of their favorite rides." More. Nextel Launches Camera Phone RESTON--Nextel Communications Inc., has unveiled the Motorola i850, a feature-rich camera phone that supplements traditional cell phone service with a walkie-talkie feature, multimedia messaging, and a digital camera that transmits images for $0.25 per message. Said General Manager Rey More: "The Motorola i850 mobile phone is packed with advanced features that make it easy for users to stay connected. At the same time, it keeps users entertained with its integrated camera and downloadable games." More. Let Your Fingers Do the Buying CHESAPEAKE--Farm Fresh, a 38-store grocery chain serving the Hampton Roads market, has launched a biometric payment technology in four locations, making it the first retailer in Virginia to offer both finger-scan payment and check-cashing services. Shoppers can pay for groceries and cash checks with a finger scan linked to their financial accounts. By eliminating the need to carry a wallet or checkbook in the store, Pay By Touch provides greater convenience, security and speed at checkout. Said CEO Ron Dennis: "Farm Fresh is committed to providing world-class service to our customers. We feel to provide this level of service we must be a leader in implementing innovative technology that offers customers additional convenience and security." When a Restful Sleep Just Isn't Good Enough RICHMOND-The Consumer Products Division of Carpenter Co., a manufacturer of polyurethane-related products, has introduced polyester-filled pillows and mattress pads containing Holofiber, a fiber clinically proven to increase the oxygen level in the body by up to 29 percent. The developer of Holofiber is targeting athletes who value faster muscle recovery and diabetics suffering from poor circulation. More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | R&D / Intellectual Property | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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IPIX to Build High-Resolution Camera RESTON--IPIX Corporation, a supplier of 360-degree, immersive imaging technologies, has secured a $2.4 million research contract from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to research and build the world's highest resolution video camera. The camera will be used for aerial surveillance missions, with applications including border patrol, battle surveillance and forensic intelligence. More. New River to Investigate Novel Treatment for Morphine Dependence RADFORD--New River Pharmaceuticals Inc. has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with the Gallo Center at the University of California San Francisco to investigate a new approach toward improving the use of opioid analgesics in the treatment of pain. Preclinical work has suggested that doses of methadone administered with morphine at certain ratios could be used to increase analgesia and decrease the potential for opioid tolerance and dependence. Said Dr. Jennifer L. Whistler with the Gallo Center: "Development of this technology is especially timely given the dearth of options available since the recent removal of several pain therapeutics from the market." More. Adenosine Lands $2 Million Grant CHARLOTTESVILLE--Adenosine Therapeutics, LLC, has been awarded a $2.0 million Small Business Innovation Research grant to fund clinical development of the company's lead compound, ATL-146e, to limit the damage of heart attacks. Explained Dr. Shannon Williams, principal investigator for the grant: "The primary goal of this project is to expedite clinical testing to evaluate the effectiveness of ATL-146e in protecting the heart against additional damage associated with the reopening of a blocked vessel." More. DefyWire Patents Wireless Line-Splitting Technology HERNDON-Defywire Inc., a developer of wireless and mobile software, has been awarded a patent for technology that permits wireless devices to split a single connection into several different uplink and downlink channels, each supporting different applications such as voice and data. The patent enables Defywire's mobile enterprise applications such as email to run much faster than any other applications on the market today. It also enables wireless industry players to create more traffic on their next-generation high-bandwidth networks such as 2.5G, 3G, Wi-Fi and WiMAX. More. In Brief... RICHMOND--Women using low-dose oral contraceptives are at an increased risk for a heart attack or stroke while taking the pill - however the risk disappears after discontinuation, according to a Virginia Commonwealth University study. More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | People | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In Brief... CHARLOTTESVILLE--Adenosine Therapeutics, LLC, a drug discovery and development company, has promoted William B. Stilley to COO. More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Trends | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Chmura Economics & Analytics |
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 Lynchburg Entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurial activities are an important measure of health for a state, local, or regional economy. The chart above displays the number of professional, scientific, and technical services firms with 10 or fewer employees that entered or exited the Lynchburg economy from 1991 through 2003. Throughout this period, the number of new firms entering the Lynchburg economy has consistently outpaced the number of exiting firms. In 2003, 69 new small firms involved in professional, scientific, or technical services opened in Lynchburg while 45 exited. For the latest analytics on labor market and workforce trends across Virginia, click here, or call (804) 649-1107. The Latest Perk: Discounts on Auto and Home Insurance RICHMOND--Massey Energy Company has entered into an innovative insurance program, effective August 1, to provide group auto and home insurance to employees at significantly discounted rates. Massey expects enrollees to receive average savings of 20 percent or more. The cost and availability of automobile insurance is a major issue in West Virginia, where many of Massey's employees live. More. Did Anyone Tell Them about the Traffic? NEW YORK-Money magazine named Vienna, Va., as the 4th most livable place in the United States, the only Virginia community to crack the Top 25. According to Money, the median household income, nearly $112,000, is almost twice that of the average of the other "Best Places." Vienna boasted lower auto insurance premiums, better student-teacher ratios, lower crime rates, and more restaurant, golf courses, libraries and museums than its peers. The drawbacks: significantly higher housing prices... and fewer bars. More. Did Anyone Tell Them About the Cows? BLACKSBURG--The Blacksburg/Christiansburg/Radford area is among the communities cited in Expansion Management magazine's third annual "Knowledge Worker Quotient," a designation that "identifies metro areas that are exceptionally well placed to attract and nurture high-tech companies and entrepreneurs because of their concentration of extremely well-educated workers." The region ranked second in the category of Ph.D.s per capita, lagging only Ithaca, N.Y. More. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Other News | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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DataNational Sues Yellow Book CHANTILLY--DataNational, Inc, publisher of the more than 30 Community Phone Book yellow page directories in Virginia, has filed suit in U.S. District Court in Charlottesville against competitor Yellow Book USA for false advertising and defamation. The suit alleges that Yellow Book sales personnel made false claims that Community Phone Book was going out of business and would be unable to publish its directories, and also misrepresented Community Phone Book pricing. Said CEO Gerard L. DiPippo: "We have a long history as the local provider of phone directories competing against national and, more recently, multi-national firms." More. In Brief... MARTINSVILLE-Gov. Mark R. Warner has awarded Henry County $200,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds to purchase equipment for engine design and fabrication classes at the Virginia Motorsports Tech Center, a motorsports industry incubator and an advanced racing training site. More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Commentary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Where There's Smoke... MZM, the Washington-based security contractor in hot water with the feds, has extensive ties to Virginia Republicans. Who knows where the threads will lead to? More. |
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The Maintenance Mantra The Road Gang wants you to believe that the surging maintenance budget for Virginia's roads justifies another tax increase. Take a closer look at the numbers before you buy their story. Even Philip Shucet admits that the business of road maintenance is not very glamorous. Highway engineers spend a lot of time worrying about potholes, drainage ditches, pavement edges and the integrity of the roadbed underneath the asphalt, notes the former Virginia Department of Transportation commissioner. No one holds a ribbon-cutting ceremony when a repaving job is completed. Highway maintenance is a thankless job. Most people, frustrated by construction crews blocking traffic lanes, are as likely to shake their fist at you as thank you. More. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Events | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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VA Newswire is a free, email-based weekly newsletter that covers news and events from around the state. If you have any news, events, job openings, or office space availability that you would like to include in next week's newswire, email jim@vanewswire.com. Click here for a free subscription. Click here to unsubscribe. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
