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| Business Intelligence for Virginia's Entrepreneurial Economy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In This Issue... Expansions, Relocations & Launches, Who's Winning Business, Deals & Partnerships, Innovations, Collaborations, R&D / Intellectual Property, People, Trends, 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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Virginia Tech Builds $35 Million Biological Research Facility BLACKSBURG-Construction has commenced on Virginia Tech's life sciences building, a $35 million, 72,000-square-foot facility that will accommodate more than 200 faculty, students and staff engaged in biological research. One floor will support cell research, while one will support microbiology research. The facility will contain biological safety level 3 labs and a state-of-the-art small animal vivarium. More. In Brief... VIENNA--Cloakware Inc., a provider of products and services that protect digital assets from piracy, has established a European headquarters in London to support operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. More. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Who's Winning Business... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Northrop Grumman Team to Deliver IP-Based Conferencing to Pentagon HERNDON-A team led by Northrop Grumman has been selected to provide IP-based video and voice conferencing capabilities to the Department of Defense - the largest single acquisition of IP video and voice conferencing services in the federal government. The team will design, engineer, test and install new video conferencing and collaboration hubs for networks supporting defense operations worldwide. Videoconferencing that meets key security criteria is a crucial command-and-control tool for military commanders. More. Orbital Sciences to Design NASA Satellite DULLES--Orbital Sciences Corporation has won a $50 million contract from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to design, develop and manufacture the next satellite in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's series of New Millennium Program technology demonstration spacecraft. The 385-pound satellite will be based on Orbital's Microstar platform, a lightweight, multi-role spacecraft bus. More. In Brief... RESTON--NCI, Inc., a provider of information technology services, has been awarded a contract with a ceiling value of $804 million to provide information systems engineering and information technology support to the United States Army Information Systems Engineering Command, and other federal agencies worldwide. More. FAIRFAX-Signal Solutions, Inc., a subsidiary of General Dynamics Network Systems, has been awarded a contract to provide information technology engineering and technical support, with a ceiling value of $800 million, to the U.S. Army. More. CHANTILLY--Apptis, Inc., an IT services provider, has won multiple contracts totaling more than $85 million from the U.S. Department of Defense Military Health System. More. FALLS CHURCH--Odell, Simms & Associates, Inc., a strategic marketing services firm, has won a contract to promote investment in Chongquing, a municipality of 31 million people in Southwest China. More. FAIRFAX--Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., has selected Carfax to provide its Carfax Vehicle History Reports with each used vehicle sold under the Toyota Certified Used Vehicle and Scion Certified Pre-owned programs. More. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Deals & Partnerships | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Vance Security Sold for $67 Million OAKTON--SPX Corporation, of Charlotte, N.C., has agreed to sell Vance International, Inc., its global investigation and security firm, to Garda World Security Corporation for $67.25 million in cash. SPX acquired Vance in 2002, expanding the expertise and reach of the business through acquisition, but has since identified the enterprise as "non-core." Garda, headquartered in Montreal, Canada, provides security and cash handling services. More. Cybertrust Sells its Intellishield Assets to Cisco HERNDON-Cybertrust, a provider of information security services, has agreed to sell its Intellishield Alert Manager assets to Cisco Systems, the San Jose, Calif.-based Internet infrastructure giant. In the $14 million transaction, Cisco will acquire assets, intellectual property, customer contracts and other components of Intellishield, a security information service that provides daily updates about information security threats and IT vulnerabilities. More. In Brief... ARLINGTON--Interstate Hotels & Resorts, the nation's largest independent hotel management company, has acquired the 195-room Hilton Durham near Duke University for a net purchase price of $13.3 million. More. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Innovations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Fly Like a CEO FAIRFAX-Private Shared Shuttle, a service launched by Private Air Charters LLC, offers "the comfort, speed and convenience of private aviation at a price comparable to flying coach." The service provides companies 10-minute check-in and free parking, no frustrating and time-consuming airline delays, layovers or connections, no waiting in long security screening lines, no counter or baggage check-in and guaranteed seats aboard a fleet of well-appointed 30-seat Dornier 328Jets. While traditional charter/air taxi service can cost anywhere between $4 and $10 per person per mile, Private Shared Shuttle will be competitive with full fare coach, costing between .20 and .27 cents per mile per seat. Companies sign a six-month contract that reserves between one and 30 seats on routes of their choice. Companies sharing the shuttle must agree to mutually acceptable destinations and times, typically early morning departures and end of business day returns. First markets to be served will be New York (Teterboro), Washington (Dulles), Cincinnati (Lunken) and Huntsville, Ala. (Huntsville International). More. Finetre Raises Curtain on Annuity Order Software HERNDON-Finetre, a developer of transaction processing software, has unveiled its AnnuityGateway Solution, an annuity sales platform enabling insurance carriers to expedite online order entries by outside representatives. The platform gives carriers a competitive advantage in marketing to independent agents, financial planners, independent broker/dealers, and banks. More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Collaborations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Anteon Leads Formation of Warfighter FOCUS Alliance FAIRFAX--Anteon International has agreed with Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Saab to provide a unified effort to meet U.S. Army simulation and training requirements. A new entity, the Warfighter FOCUS (Field Operations CUstomer Support) Alliance will support all three simulation and training disciplines - live, virtual, and constructive. Said Anteon executive Larry Retta: "The operational efficiencies gained from the alliance will ensure that projects are completed at lower costs, and streamlined contract management will allow the Army to focus more contract dollars on 'hands-on' work, and less on management." More. TNS to Collaborate on Financial Market Applications RESTON--Transaction Network Services has entered into a marketing collaboration with Blue System Inc., of London, to bring Blue System's revolutionary electronic dealing room application to market. The application will give institutional brokers and their customers the ability to directly access and analyze data from more than 40 exchanges and ECNs, as well as global spot currency markets. Said Blue System CEO Sulim Malook: "Since the move from open floor to electronic trading in 2000, brokerages have been compelled to create and pay to install and maintain their own systems using multiple specialist providers for access to information and markets that had been freely available." More. Cherry, Bekaert Partners with NeoSystems to Cross-Sell Services RICHMOND-Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, the nation's 25th largest CPA firm, has partnered with NeoSystems Corp., an accounting services provider based in Vienna, to cross-market complementary services. NeoSystems offers managed accounting services and hosted application services based on the Deltek suite of software products, to government contractors. CB&H serves as the primary accounting and financial business advisor to over 25,000 clients in seven states. More. iDirect partners with Airspan Networks HERNDON-iDirect Technologies, a developer of bi-directional satellite-based broadband access solutions has joined forces with Airspan Networks Inc., of Boca Raton, Fla., to enable WiFi connectivity to users in remote locations. Said iDirect CEO John Kealey: "The iDirect remote satellite router's ability to deliver speeds up to 18 Mbps, combined with iDirect's support for real time applications like voice and video, allow us to deliver broadband connectivity that matches the quality and performance of digital terrestrial circuits. Global Edge Connect will extend this service resulting in a user experience comparable to traditional landline service." More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | R&D / Intellectual Property | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sarnoff to Commercialize ExxonMobil's Nano Materials FAIRFAX-ExxonMobile Research and Engineering Company has engaged Sarnoff Corporation of Princeton, N.J., under a five year agreement, to commercialize opportunities for EMRE's portfolio of mesoporous materials in markets outside of the petrochemical industry. The materials, which include novel high surface-area silicas, are among the first nanomaterials ever created by ExxonMobil for its own use. Sarnoff will position these materials in other markets, such as electronics and optics, where their unique properties offer significant advantages over current materials. More. Wahoos Probe Stem Cell Role CHARLOTTESVILLE--A new study by researchers at the University of Virginia shows that adult stem cells play a different role than scientists have long believed. Findings show that the cells perform a signaling function, supervising the repair and growth of damaged tissue due to reduced oxygen, rather than doing the work themselves. More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | People | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Taubman to Serve as Ambassador to Romania ROANOKE-Nicholas F. Taubman, chairman of Advance Auto Parts, Inc., has resigned from the company's board of directors in connection with his recent appointment as U.S. ambassador to Romania. Said CEO Michael Coppola: "All of us at Advance owe Nick a tremendous debt of gratitude. As the son of Arthur Taubman, the founder of our company, and as Advance's second CEO, Nick put our company on a path of significant growth, focus and success." More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Trends | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Chmura Economics & Analytics |
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 Northern Virginia employment. This chart displays employment growth for Northern Virginia MSA alongside growth in Virginia. Employment growth in Northern Virginia has followed a trend similar to the state since 1991 but has tended to show stronger growth. For the year ending with the first quarter of 2005, employment increased by 4.0 percent in Northern Virginia compared to 2.6 percent growth in the state. During the same period, Northern Virginia gained 45,765 jobs, which accounted for more than half of the 88,996 jobs gained in the state. Employment trends in regional labor markets are often the best overall measure of economic performance. While statistics relating to output growth, such as real gross domestic (state) product, are considered the most comprehensive performance figures for states and the nation, these data are not available for localities. For the latest analytics on labor market and workforce trends across Virginia, click here or call (804) 649-1107. The Gravy Train Ain't Over Yet RESTON--The bad news: U.S. Federal Government awarded more than $123 billion in information technology (IT)-related prime contracts in fiscal year 2005 -- a 20 percent decrease compared to last year's awards totaling $155 billion, according to a report released today by INPUT, a provider of market intelligence on government business. The good news: INPUT expects IT-related prime contract awards in fiscal 2006 to spike more than 60 percent. More. Indy City Websites Competing with Mainstream Media PORTSMOUTH-Market research released by Borrell Associates Inc. describes the rise of local websites as a competitive force in local media markets. Hundreds of independent websites are elbowing into the market by shunning local news, obituaries and classified ads, and focusing almost exclusively on fun and interesting things to do around town. Many of these independent local sites are reporting revenues well into six figures, and some have been acquisition targets. Said author Dorian Benkoil: "Six years ago everybody was rushing into the local space with city guides. AOL was pursuing Digital Cities, MSN was launching Sidewalk and CitySearch was everywhere. They all retrenched or abandoned the space. But with tremendous growth in local advertising in the past two years, city guides and local independent city sites are back with a vengeance." More. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Other News | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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More Pork for Virginia WASHINGTON--U.S. Senator John Warner, R-Va., has announced funding for 35 transportation-related projects in Virginia, including:
In Brief... RICHMOND---Genworth Financial will rename three of its life insurance companies to incorporate the Genworth name and build on the company's brand-recognition efforts since it went public in early 2004. More. FALLS CHURCH--Spectrum Sciences & Software Holdings Corp., an engineering and technical solutions company, has announced that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has ended its informal inquiry into the company, and that two separate legal claims related to the company have been resolved. More. VCampus Receives Nasdaq Deficiency Notice RESTON--VCampus Corporation, a provider of e-learning services, has been notified that it is not in compliance with requirements for continued listing in the Nasdaq Stock Market. Stockholders equity of $1.92 million fell short of the $2.5 million minimum. CEO Nat Kannan said he expected to close on an equity financing "in the next few days" that would get the company back into compliance. More. LCC Files Restated Financials MCLEAN--LCC International, Inc., a provider of wireless voice and data technical consulting services, has filed amended quarterly reports for the third quarter of 2004 and first quarter of 2005. The combined restatements resulted in a net loss of $3.4 million in revenue and a $2.0 reduction in earnings. More. Fire Erupts at Yorktown Refinery YORKTOWN-The Yorktown refinery owned by Giant Industries Inc., of Scottsdale, Ariz., experienced damage from a fire that broke out in the vicinity of the Fluid Catalytic Cracker. Emergency personnel responded immediately and contained the fire to the area. No workers were injured. The refinery has a crude oil processing capability of 62,000 barrels per day. More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Commentary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
 GOP Must Look Forward Rehashing the reasons why Jerry Kilgore lost the election won't get a Republican elected in 2009. Virginia's GOP needs to figure out what it stands for. More. |
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Mission Creep VITA isn't delivering the savings that were promised to taxpayers. Perhaps that's because the agency has set higher goals for itself: providing a more robust, secure IT infrastructure. During the 2003 General Assembly session, I think it was, I was standing in the foyer of the 9th Street Office Building and chatting with Paul Goldman, who was writing for Bacon's Rebellion at the time. Up walked Eugene Huang. With great passion, the then-Deputy Secretary of Technology urged Goldman, a former Democratic Party chairman, to use his influence with some Democratic legislator or another to support the consolidation of all state information technology functions into a unified Virginia Information Technology Agency. More. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Events | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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