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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 Makers, Innovations, Deals & Partnerships, People, Trends, Other News, Commentary, Events, Click here to forward to a friend or colleague who might like this newsletter. |
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| Back To Top | Expansions, Relocations & Launches  |
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Sponsors: 
Legal Services 
Investment banking |
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JetBlue Lands in Richmond RICHMOND-JetBlue, the low-cost, New York-based airline, will commence daily service next spring between Richmond International and Boston's Logan International and JFK International Airport in New York. Said Gov. Mark R. Warner: "My administration has worked closely with CEO David Neeleman's team and the Richmond business community over the past two years to bring JetBlue's low-fare, award-winning customer service to Richmond. …This expansion means air travel will become much more affordable for both business and vacation travelers." More. Value City Leases Ashland Distribution Center ASHLAND-Value City Furniture, operator of 80 superstores in the Eastern United States, will lease a 146,000 of the old Best Products distribution center for an expanded East Coast distribution center. The 417,000-square-foot Best Products facility had been purchased by local real estate investor Charles J. Keck. |
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| Back To Top | Who's Hot... |
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Email Marketing Experts Partners: 
The Boomer Project |
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Richmond Fire Services Firm Recapitalizes RICHMOND-East Coast Fire Protection, Inc., the nation's seventh largest fire and life safety services provider, has completed a recapitalization with KRG Capital Partners, of Denver. Founded in 1997, ECFP provides a range of fire safety products - sprinklers, foam protection systems, detection control systems, fire hoses - and generates recurring revenue through inspection and maintenance contracts. Said CEO Jim Toups: "Joining with KRG allows ECFP to continue to build the leading life safety company in the southeast." More. Celerity Closes $1 Million Financing ARLINGTON--Celerity Systems, Inc., has secured a $1.0 million Preferred Stock financing with Cornell Capital Partners. This and other financings will enable the company to pursue a new strategic direction: owning and operating small and mid-sized growth businesses that provide homeland security solutions through innovative technologies." More. |
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| Back To Top | Who's Not... |
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Virginia FREE 
National Association of Women Business Owners 
Searchable Business Database |
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LandAmerica Takes $38 Million Write Down RICHMOND--LandAmerica Financial Group, Inc., a provider of real estate transaction services, is taking a tax-servicing loss and related non-cash write down of $38 million, or $23 million after taxes, reflecting a decision by a customer, Washington Mutual, to in-source future tax services in California and Colorado. LandAmerica will continue to manage its remaining portfolio of tax and flood services for WaMu, which includes 23 states in the western United States. More. Fitch Rates Portsmouth Bonds "AA-," Outlooks Remains Negative PORTSMOUTH--Fitch Ratings has assigned an "AA-" rating to the City of Portsmouth's $116.6 million general obligation bonds scheduled for sale Oct. 18. Credit concerns include a recent history of high turnover in management positions, below-average wealth levels, high tax rates, and ongoing budgetary pressures related to a large internal service fund deficit and under-funded pensions. On the positive side, the city has historically maintained solid general fund reserves at or above its policy minimums. More. |
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| Back To Top | Who's Winning Business... |
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Virginia Technology Alliance
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BearingPoint Bags $58 Million Navy IT Contract MCLEAN--BearingPoint, Inc., a management and technology consulting firm, has been awarded a contract potentially worth $58 million over five years to provide IT strategy, program development and program management in support of the Navy's creation of an Enterprise IT Program Management Office (EPMO). Under EPMO, the Navy looks to apply the same rigor and discipline to the management and execution of its IT operations as it currently applies to weapons systems. More. SI International Awarded $20 Million Space Command Contract RESTON--SI International, Inc., an information technology and network solutions company, has been awarded a contract potentially worth $20 million over five years to provide technical support to the Air Force Space Command. The company will apply object-oriented modeling to define the highly complex, globally-networked communications systems of the future. More. Alpha Wins $8.5 Million Hurricane Clean-up Job DULLES-Alpha Corporation, an engineering construction/management firm, has been awarded an $8.5 million Army Corps of Engineers contract to provide quality assurance personnel to support the removal of debris in Louisiana parishes affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. One hundred Alpha employees will work 12 hours per day, seven days per week, to monitor and measure the removal of debris. More. Teletech Mobilizes to Process Hurricane Claims HERNDON--TeleTech Government Solutions, LLC, has deployed infrastructure and personnel needed to manage the claims of businesses and individuals seeking hurricane relief. Within one week, the company had scaled the program to 2,000 workstations and 4,000 employees at a half dozen locations around the country. Versar Hooks $5 Million Fisheries Contract SPRINGFIELD--VERSAR, Inc., has been awarded a $5 million, five-year contract to provide scientific and technical support to the National Marine Fisheries Service's Chesapeake Bay Office. Versar expects to provide services ranging from habitat survey design and implementation to fisheries ecosystem and environmental modeling and educational outreach. More. In Brief... FAIRFAX--Anteon International Corporation has won a contract potentially worth $9.8 million over five years provide technical and analytical support to the modeling, simulation and training programs of the U.S. Air Force Joint Exercise and Training Innovation Branch. More. NORFOLK--BAE Systems has been awarded a $5.1 million cost-plus award for the Fitting Out Availability of the USS San Antonio, an amphibious transport dock ship to be home ported in Norfolk after commissioning this fall. More. |
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| Back To Top | Deals & Partnerships |
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AOL Purchases Blogging Company DULLES-America Online Inc., has agreed to acquire Weblogs, Inc., of Santa Monica, Calif., publisher of 85 topical blogs that create communities where readers can connect, debate, editorialize, comment, and learn. The company features more than 100 independent, freelance expert bloggers producing over 1,000 blog postings weekly in specialized, 'niche' consumer and trade markets, from automotive to gaming. More. CACI to Purchase National Security Research ARLINGTON--CACI International Inc. has agreed to acquire National Security Research, Inc., an Arlington company that specializes in national security policy, international security, missile defense and related markets. The employee-owned firm, consisting of 100 employees with deep subject-matter expertise, recorded revenue of $17 million for its fiscal year ending Nov. 30, 2004. More. Caliber Sold to ICF Consulting FAIRFAX-Caliber Associates, a provider of high-end consulting services to federal government clients, has been acquired by Washington, D.C.-based ICF Consulting. The acquisition of Caliber's 300 employees increases federal departments including Health and Human Services, Justice, Defense and Education. Caliber generates $40 million a year in revenue. More. CCO to Deliver HIV Info to Docs RESTON--Clinical Care Options, a developer of interactive medical education products for healthcare professionals, is partnering with the American Academy of HIV Medicine, a credentialing association, to create educational programs that will help clinicians provide optimal care for their HIV+ patients. Academy members will access online, interactive, multimedia, medical education programs for translating scientific data into clinically useful information. More. Signs Aren't Signs Anymore: They're 'Path Marking Systems" MANASSAS-Noesis Inc. has won a $440,000 contract from the Department of Energy to install "photo luminescent low level egress path marking Systems" in one of the agency's major office complexes. Noesis, a developer of Photo Luminescent Safety, will provide DOE personnel with "fail-safe emergency signage" enabling people to locate building exits even under extremely adverse conditions such as the total loss of electrical power or severely reduced visibility due to heavy smoke. More. SAIC Buys GIS Navigation Firm MCLEAN--Science Applications International Corporation has completed the acquisition of IMAPS, LLC, of Columbia, Ill., which provides Geographic Information Systems and marine navigation, aviation flight planning, and navigation software products to government and commercial customers. The acquisition enhances SAIC's capability to support key customers in the national security and intelligence community. More. Deltek Expands through Acquisition of Wind2 HERNDON--Deltek, an enterprise resource planning vendor, has acquired Wind2 Software, Inc., a company serving project-driven professional services firms. Both companies share a market focus on the Architecture and Engineering sector, as well as government contractors, IT services firms and management consultants. Wind2 brings $10 million in annual revenue along with 3,000 customers, supplementing Deltek's base of 8,000 clients. More. In Brief... CHANTILLY--Alliance Bankshares Corporation has agreed to acquire the Danaher Insurance Agency of Annandale in an all cash transaction. More. SPRINGFIELD-McNeil Technologies Inc., a provider of outsourced language translation services to the federal government, has purchased ViStar Corp., an Alexandria-based provider of high-end enterprise management, business process outsourcing and other consulting services. More. |
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| Back To Top | Innovations |
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Ukrops to Offer Nutrigenics Assessments RICHMOND-Ukrop's Supermarkets will sell Cellf Genetic Assessments to customers so they can develop personalized health and nutritional plans based on their unique genetic profiles. For the first time, individuals can collect a sample of their DNA using a simple cheek swab and complete a diet and lifestyle questionnaire at home. The assessments, which provide advice on nutrition and lifestyles, are provided by Boulder, Col.-based Sciona, Inc. More. Hokies Unveil Welfare-Intake Software BLACKSBURG--Virginia Tech has introduced a software package today that facilitates the delivery of social services to citizens of Southwest Virginia. The COSMOS software package allows anyone using a web browser to perform initial client intake, assessment, and referrals and to share that online information securely with other organizations providing services to the individual. The software eliminates redundant data entry and establishes a uniform client record. More. GSS Updates its Support Desk Software VIRGINIA BEACH-Global Support Software, a developer of Web-based support desk software, has released Version 6.0, which it characterizes as "the most significant software update in the company's history." Said GSS President Scott Bleakely: "We now have all the features and functionality of the larger legacy support desk solutions, but at a fraction of the cost." The software reduces the time required to enter, track, resolve and report on key issues affecting customers and employees. More. |
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| Back To Top | R&D / Intellectual Property |
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Wahoos Win $6 Million Grant to Probe Prostates CHARLOTTESVILLE--A research team at the University of Virginia Health System has received more than $6 million in federal funding to investigate a cell signaling process that may help explain the way that prostate cancer spreads. The five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health will allow the team to investigate changes in cellular and molecular signals that are related to the spread of tumors. More. Wahoos Research High Blood Pressure Mechanism CHARLOTTESVILLE-- A researcher at the University of Virginia Health System has received a $2.3 million National Institutes of Health grant to uncover the secrets of a bodily cycle that leads to high blood pressure. Robert M. Carey and his team hope to uncover the normal body defense process that involves salt and water retention and high blood pressure. More. In Brief... FAIRFAX--To run highly complex calculations in areas as diverse as bioagent dispersion, climate modeling and prediction and hemodynamics, George Mason University's School of Computational Sciences has selected scalable computing technology and storage solutions from Silicon Graphics as the foundation of a three-year initiative to build a high-performance computing center. More. |
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| Back To Top | People |
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Ligon to Retire from CarMax RICHMOND-Austin Ligon, CEO of CarMax, Inc., has announced his intention to retire in 2006. The board has formed a search committee to seek a new CEO. Ligon grew CarMax, a spin-off of Circuit City, from a concept into a Fortune 500 company and the nation's largest used car retailer. More. In Brief... DULLES-Low-fare airline Independence Air has appointed David Asai to the CFO. More. |
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| Back To Top | Trends |
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Chmura Economics & Analytics |
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Roanoke wages. Since 1991, annual average wages in the Roanoke metro area have remained below the state level. For the year ending with the fourth quarter 2004, annual average wages per worker were $33,151 in Roanoke compared to $40,592 in Virginia overall. Over the years, the gap between average wages in Roanoke and Virginia has increased, as wage growth has accelerated in the state. For the year ending with the fourth quarter of 2004, annual average wages advanced by 3.8 percent in Roanoke compared to 5.0 percent in the state. For the latest analytics on labor market and workforce trends across Virginia, click here, or call (804) 649-1107. Fairfax Income Tops Among Large Counties FAIRFAX COUNTY--Fairfax County ranks first among large U.S. counties with the highest median family and household income in 2004, according to the American Community Survey recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The county had a 2004 median family income of $90,194, while the 2004 medium household income was $88,133. More. |
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| Back To Top | Other News |
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AOL Embarks on Phishing Expedition DULLES--America Online is taking aggressive steps to protect AOL members from "phishing" attacks, the use of fraudulent e-mail and fake web sites to gather sensitive personal information from users. Among the strategies that AOL is employing: early-warning systems that check newly-registered domains to see if they mimic legitimate site names, indicating they may be used for phishing, and Web-crawling systems that look for suspicious sites that imitate the text or appearance of real sites. More. |
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| Back To Top | Commentary |
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Why Does Dillon Rule? Or Judge John's Odd Legacy. More. |
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UVa Under Siege -- from Within Racial incidents at the University of Virginia last August were all too real. But the administration's over-reaction needlessly fed black students' fears and alienation. In the dark of night on Aug. 29, with the new academic year beginning at the University of Virginia, three students painted a primitive image and some cryptic phrases on Beta Bridge. The picture portrayed a woman in a spread eagle pose and a pair of breasts; her black face was crying white tears. Alongside appeared the words, "we'll be back," as well as "GSociety," "GWizard" and "G-Bug." More. |
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| Back To Top | Events |
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