“Preparing for a Brighter Future”

Published December 6,2010 in the Culpeper Star Exponent

 

“Preparing for a Brighter Future” was the title of the first Virginia Economic Summit developed and hosted by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. The Summit was held at Kingsmill in Williamsburg on Thursday and attracted leaders in Virginia from Business, Government, and Academia.

With Virginia’s status as a leader in job creation in the United States, the conference reflected our success as well as our opportunities for improvement. Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Vice President for Business Management presented the case for why they choose Fairfax County for their new headquarters.  In addition to the many statistical reasons for their location choice, they were attracted to the location as a result of the “we are here to help you” attitude demonstrated by state and local governments.

The Executive Vice President and CFO, Rolls-Royce North America, Inc. made similar comments about their choice to locate their advanced manufacturing  facility 35 miles south of  Richmond. He described the project, Rolls-Royce Cross Point Center, as a vision and with good reason. The project is robust and includes resources from the entire state. Why this location? It intersects with 295, 95, and adjacent route 64 as major highway routes. It is proximate to the deep water Port of Virginia and the largest US Naval Base. Richmond International Airport and major rail routes are easily accessible. Virginia has world class research & educational institutions such as the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. In addition, The Virginia Community College system will play an important role in workforce development. The vision is to develop the 1000 acre property into a “major aerospace center integrating advanced manufacturing and research across multiple partnerships.” The Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) will also be located on the Rolls-Royce grounds and offer other major companies opportunities to collaborate in research and development efforts.

Though these success stories are outstanding, we have some work to do in order to keep the momentum in attracting excellence employers to our Commonwealth. One concern was in the area of transportation. As location teams evaluate sites, they are very interested in the quality of life for their employees. Traffic in Northern Virginia was cited as the 2nd worst in the nation. Traffic in the tide water area is significant issue as well. Our Global competitors are solving this issue proactively and we cannot afford to fall behind.

Other sessions – The Economic Impact of Healthcare and Federal Legislation, Creating a World Class Workforce, Innovative Economic Development Programs, and A Look at Opportunities and Emerging Industries were rich and resourceful. The Virginia Chamber of Commerce - 2010 Virginia Economic Summit has set a new mark of excellence. Virginia Business is stronger and more focused as a result of the leadership of the new President of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce - Barry DuVal. “Preparing for a Brighter Future” is a foundation that we look forward to building on in Culpeper, Virginia.

Jim Charapich, President/CEO Culpeper County Chamber of Commerce

jcharapich@culpepervachamber.com