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| Business Intelligence for Virginia's Entrepreneurial Economy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In This Issue... Expansions, Relocations and Launches, Who's Winning Business, Deals & Partnerships, Innovations, Partnerships & Collaborations, Research & Intellectual Property, 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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FERIDIES Expands Peanut Facility COURTLAND--FERIDIES, a manufacturer of Virginia peanuts, will invest $3.2 million to expand its facility in the Southampton Business Park in Southampton County. The company also will increase equipment capacity at the plant, creating 25 new jobs. Formerly marketed under "The Peanut Patch" label, FERIDIES offers peanuts and a variety of peanut candies, nuts, and other gourmet snacks. Said President Judy Riddick: "This expansion comes a year after we re-branded our Virginia Peanut line from The Peanut Patch to FERIDIES, a name that we have trademarked and is marketable around the world. Our success as a family-owned and operated company, the demand for the Virginia-type peanut and the re-branding have allowed us to expand our specialty food product lines and to market more effectively in the U.S. and in other countries." More. Techbooks Relocates H.Q. to Falls Church FALLS CHURCH--Techbooks, a global provider of content management services, has completed its move to new corporate headquarters in Fairview Park. Said CEO Ranjit Singh: "Techbooks' recent growth necessitated this move to larger office facilities, as we have increased both in company size and in services offered to our clients." More. Strategic Thought Moves to Larger Herndon Office HERNDON--Strategic Thought Inc, a United Kingdom-based firm that provides enterprise risk management software, will open new office space in Herndon. Outgrowing its original office in less than two years, the company plans to double its office space to accommodate more employees and demonstrate its Active Risk Manager product. More. In Brief... MCLEAN--A Primus Business Services subsidiary, PRIMUS Telecommunications Canada Inc., has opened a $3 million data center in Vancouver, equipped with cabinets built on platforms that counteract the damaging effects of earthquake shocks and tremors. More. VIENNA--Backfence Inc. has launched a community website in Evanston, Ill, leading its expansion into the Chicago-area suburbs. More. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Who's Hot | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ICF Launches IPO, Raises $56 Million FAIRFAX--ICF International, Inc., a consulting and technology services firm serving the federal government has launched its Initial Public Offering with the sale of nearly 4.7 million shares of common stock at a price of $12 per share. A little more than one million shares were sold by existing stockholders; the company sold the other 3.7 million shares. The IPO raised a total of $56 million. More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Who's Winning Business... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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BearingPoint to Aid Serbian Financial Reform MCLEAN--BearingPoint, Inc., a management and technology consulting firm, has been awarded a four-and-a-half year, $19.8 million contract by the United States Agency for International Development to support economic growth reforms in Serbia. BearingPoint will continue helping strengthen Serbia's financial sector and public finance infrastructure. More. In unrelated news (although the Serbians may be wondering how BearingPoint was selected to shore up their finances)... BearingPoint has revealed that a court last week ruled the firm in default of $200 million in convertible bonds. More. Video Convergence to Supply Atlanta ITS Project SPRINGFIELD--Video Convergence, a division of Cornet Technology, Inc., has sold its iVDO Streamer 2/4 Encoders and Decoders to the Georgia Department of Transportation in the expansion of its Atlanta Metro Area Intelligent Transportation System. The first phase encompasses a 10-mile stretch of Interstate 285. Officials monitoring live video streams will be able to communicate real-time information, allowing swift reaction to emergency situations. More. In Brief... FAIRFAX--SRA International, Inc., has been awarded a $173 million task order by the Army National Guard to provide enterprise operations and security services in support of a nationwide information infrastructure. More. FAIRFAX--Analex Corporation has been awarded a subcontract to perform work potentially worth $122 million over five years to provide support services in the fields of aeronautics, microgravity science, space exploration, and space power and propulsion to the NASA Glenn Research Center. More. ARLINGTON--CACI International Inc. has been awarded three new task orders, totaling an estimated $50 million, by the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Life Cycle Management Command. More. FAIRFAX--SRA International, Inc., has won a contract potentially worth $30.6 million over five years to provide IT support to Director of Defense Research and Engineering. More. FAIRFAX--ICF International has been awarded a five-year, $14 million contract by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to support a program committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by identifying and labeling energy-efficient products in the marketplace. More. CHANTILLY--TechTeam Government Solutions, Inc., has won a contract worth $4.1 million over five years to deliver technical services to the Department of Health and Human Services, Program Support Center, Division of Payment Management. More. HAMPTON--Data Management Group has won a five-year, $3 million contract to develop and maintain an enterprise reporting system for the Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Services. More. RICHMOND--Owens & Minor, a provider of distribution and supply-chain management services to hospitals, has signed a five-year agreement renewing its relationship with Broadlane, a -based supply chain consulting company serving the healthcare sector. More. CHANTILLY--InfinityQS International has sold its statistical process control software to Emerson Power Transmission, a producer of mechanical power transmission drives, components and bearings. More. MCLEAN--Spacenet Inc. has signed a five-year enterprise networking services contract with Texas retailer H-E-B, providing satellite connectivity to all of its stores as well as its SmartCare enterprise-grade network management services. More. RICHMOND--Ironworks, a technology consulting firm, has created a new sales management system for AMF Bowling Centers Inc., providing a streamlined approach to group event business for the AMF sales team and customers. More. RESTON--3H Technology, LLC, has been awarded a contract to provide IT support to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under the Enterprise Acquisition Gateway for Leading Edge Solutions program. More. ARLINGTON--ICOR Partners LLC has been awarded a contract to provide program management services to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Deal Makers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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NII Nabs Mexican Wireless Company for $200 Million RESTON--NII Holdings, Inc., formerly known as Nextel International and a provider of mobile communications for business customers in Latin America, has agreed to acquire Cosmofrecuencias, S.A. de C.V. in Mexico for $200 million. The deal provides NII's Nextel Mexico operation with a local concession, operational cost savings, increased flexibility for additional revenue generating opportunities, and 50MHz of 3.4GHz spectrum nationwide. More. Bradson Sells for $73 Million ARLINGTON-Bradson Corporation, a prime contractor of finance and accounting services to the federal government, has agreed to a sale to Kforce Inc., of Tampa, Fla., for $73 million. Bradson is expected to generate $30.6 million in revenue this year as well as EBITDA of $11.1 million. Said kForce CEO David L. Dunkel: "This step is a significant enhancement of the Kforce footprint in the prime federal government sector, particularly in the federal finance and accounting discipline." More. Digital Realty Acquires Two NoVa Data Centers SAN FRANCISCO--Digital Realty Trust, Inc., an owner of corporate datacenters and Internet gateways, has acquired the East Coast datacenter business of New York-based AboveNet Inc. - including facilities in Reston and Vienna - for $40 million. Said DRT CEO Michael F. Foust: "The addition to our portfolio of these outstanding datacenter facilities ... expands our footprint in two key markets, which are experiencing very strong demand for datacenter space." More. Massey Sells Falcon Reserves RICHMOND--Massey Energy Company has agreed to sell its Falcon reserves in Boone County, W.Va., to a privately held coal company for approximately $31 million. The property is expected to yield up to 17 million tons of coal. Said CEO Don L. Blankenship: "This sale again demonstrates our ongoing effort to actively explore opportunities to divest non-strategic reserves in order to maximize value for our shareholders." More. Novozymes Takes Aim at Deer Ticks SALEM-Novozymes Biologicals, a producer of microbial products, has purchased Earth Biosciences, Inc., of New Haven, Conn. In the transaction, Novozymes will add two new alternative pesticide technologies to its portfolio: the insecticide Metarhizium anisopliae and the fungicide Bacillus subtilis, both naturally occurring microorganisms. Metarhizium is approved for residential outdoor control of ticks and the control of ornamental pests such as black vine weevils. More. Teaching Company Sold to L.A. Investment Firm CHANTILLY-The Teaching Company, a developer of university-level courses in DVD and audio CD formats, has been acquired by Los Angeles-based Brentwood Associates, a private equity investment firm. The management team led by CEO Brandon Hidalgo will continue to operate the company, maintaining a "significant" equity stake. Said Hidalgo: "We look forward to a collaborative partnership that will allow us to continue to expand our course offerings, add new channels to service our new and existing customers, and continue to enhance our customers' experience." More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Innovations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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SAIC Unveils High-Speed Cargo Scanner MCLEAN--The Security and Transportation Technology Business Unit of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) has launched its VACIS P 7500 Inspection System -- a compact, high-penetration and high-energy inspection portal designed to scan up to 150 cargo containers per hour. Excellent image quality is achieved at individual scan speeds of up to 5 miles per hour and throughput rates of 150 units per hour. More. Selling Power Rolls out Daily Videos FREDERICKSBURG-Selling Power, a website devoted to sales and marketing, has introduced the Selling Power Daily Report. Founder/publisher Gerhard Gschwandtner interviews high-profile executives, best-selling authors and top performers, which he boils down to five-minute video clips. The lineup of upcoming guests ranges from Bill McDermott, CEO of SAP, to Chris Howard, an Australian billed as the "new Tony Robbins." More. In Brief... CHANTILLY--Blue Ridge Networks has launched RemoteLink, a device that provides "impenetrable" communications for small offices, personal offices, and mobile offices. VIENNA-ZyLAB has released its Sarbanes-Oxley Contract Management solution, which provides companies with the ability to maintain, control and guarantee the integrity of information reporting processes. More. FAIRFAX--Razorsight Corporation has released its Automated Invoice Management software that offers automation, business workflow, and analytics to a company's management of direct costs. More. SPRINGFIELD--Anami Communications has introduced Lab Track, a software solution that unobtrusively tracks and records equipment usage in a laboratory environment. More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | People | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Lee Technologies Nets Newstrom as COO FAIRFAX--George Newstrom, former Secretary of Technology under Gov. Mark R. Warner, has joined Lee Technologies as president and COO. The privately owned company provides mission-critical infrastructure solutions to global enterprises and government agencies. Said Newstrom: "Never before have citizens and customers relied more heavily on information systems from government, banks, schools, retailers, health care providers and such. Providing dependable solutions to these needs is the sweet spot for Lee Technologies." More. TNS Taps Graham for Top Post RESTON--TNS, Inc., a provider of data communications services for transaction-oriented applications, has hired Henry H. Graham, Jr., previously the company's CFO, to replace Jack McDonnell, who left the company at the request of the board. Said Chairman John Sponyoe: "[The] announcement is driven by the Board's belief that this change is necessary to provide new leadership to the organization and to reverse recent performance declines." More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Trends | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Chmura Economics & Analytics |
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 NoVa Building Permits. After reaching a record level in July 2005, the building permit level in Northern Virginia MSA has plummeted. For the year ending with August 2006, the six-month moving average for single-family building permits tumbled 39.2 percent, the fastest decline among the state metro areas. During the same period, permits for the entire state decreased 26.4 percent, while state permits excluding Northern Virginia fell 17.4 percent. For details on regional economic conditions across Virginia, including Richmond, Northern Virginia, and Hampton Roads, as well as a list of Chmura Economics & Analytics (CEA) products and services, click here or call 804-649-1107. Local Internet Searches in Fast-Growth Mode RESTON-Sixty-three percent of U.S. Internet users (approximately 109 million people) performed a local search online in July, a 43-percent increase versus July of 2005, according to comScore Networks, a leader in measuring the digital age. Local search is defined as searches conducted by consumers on the local or directory sections of leading search sites, and other searches identified as having local intent. Google Sites (30 percent) and Yahoo! Sites (29 percent) garnered the largest share. More. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Other News | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Costa Brava Seeks $51 Million from Goodman & Company FAIRFAX-The Fairfax County Circuit Court has denied public accounting firm Goodman & Company, LLP's, motion to stay a lawsuit filed by Costa Brava Partnership, III, L.P. Costa Brava is seeking $51 million in damages relating to Goodman's audit opinion of Telos Corporation's 2004 annual report. The suit alleges that the clean audit opinion by the Norfolk-based Goodman was the centerpiece of a calculated campaign to deprive Costa Brava, and other holders of Telos's public redeemable securities, of millions of dollars. More. As If the Alaska Pipeline Shutdown Wasn't Bad Enough... YORKTOWN-A fire broke out at a Yorktown refinery belonging to Giant Industries, Inc., of Scottsdale, Ariz., in the Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel processing unit. Emergency personnel responded promptly and contained the fire; there were no injuries. The affected unit has been shut down, but the rest of the refinery continues to operate at normal levels. The refinery has a crude oil throughput capacity of 62,000 barrels per day. More. AMF Applies Robotics to Meat-Stacking System RICHMOND-AMF Automation Technologies, a packaging solutions provider, has selected KUKA Robotics Corporation, of Clinton Township, Mich., to supply its robotics technology for AMF's new meat food distribution system. AMF will use the palletizing robot in its meat stacking and de-stacking system which will allow manufacturers to increase throughput and improve working conditions. More. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back To Top | Commentary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Jackpot Winner Americans are like the overweight Lotto winner who squanders his winnings. The discovery of oil deep in the Gulf of Mexico will do little to halt the coming energy crash. More. |
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Future Still Shocking In our age of accelerating change, some institutions adapt more quickly than others. Insights from the Tofflers' new book help explain the challenges facing Virginia. One mile an hour is moving. One hundred miles an hour is really moving. That "significant mismatch between the demands of the fast-growing new economy and the inertial institutional structure of the old society" is one of the most well-documented themes in "Revolutionary Wealth" (Alfred A. Knopf, 2006), the newest look ahead by futurists Alvin and Heidi Toffler. The Toffler's commentary might help explain even the most parochial topics, such as the General Assembly's special session on transportation due to convene in Richmond this week. The most innovative, fastest growing companies, the Tofflers suggest, are the ones moving at 100 m.p.h. 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 jabacon@baconsrebellion.com. Click here for a free subscription. Click here to unsubscribe. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
