Giles County Receives $10,000 Grant from Virginia Tourism Corporation “Crush Friday” Program Marketing Fund

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GILES COUNTY, VA – Giles County announced that it has received a $10,000 grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) “Crush Friday Program” grant fund. “Crush Friday” is part of VTC’s ongoing efforts to support U.S. Travel’s “Project: Time Off” initiative, encouraging citizens to utilize unused vacation days. In total, VTC awarded $250,000 to 25 tourism marketing projects across the Commonwealth to help increase visitation and revenue for Virginia’s localities through tourism. More than 155 partners will participate in this cross-state marketing program effort.

“We are thrilled to be supporting U.S. Travel’s Project: Time Off with our brand new Crush Friday campaign. The Crush Friday initiative is an engaging, creative, and collaborative way for Virginia localities to leverage critical marketing dollars to attract more visitors to the Commonwealth, increasing the economic impact of tourism,” said Rita McClenny, president and CEO of Virginia Tourism Corporation. “This program will also help to change the way millennials think about vacation and the importance of time off not only to their quality of life, but quality of work.”

“Giles is the perfect place to take advantage of a Friday off from the workplace. We welcome residents and guests to enjoy the New River Water Trail and all of the activities associated with the water, plus we have the National Forest and hiking, mountain biking, or birding adventures. Taking advantage of the world-class dining and unique lodging properties will make the Crush Friday experience last all weekend, which is also the point. To drive traffic to our tourism assets and businesses. We are excited and honored to be a part of this state-wide initiative,” shares Cora Gnegy, Tourism Marketing Director for Giles County. Giles County Tourism received a $10,000 grant for its Crush Friday project.

American workers left 662 million vacation days on the table last year. Of these workers, the millennial sub-set is the most likely to want to be seen as work martyrs. In an effort to be seen as valuable to the company a work martyr is the most likely to forego taking vacation days. The VTC Crush Friday Program is designed to encourage the millennial work martyr to give vacation a try. VTC and its industry partners aim to change that mindset and show the benefit that even one day of vacation can have. Virginia and Giles offer a call to millennials to take a well-deserved Friday and crush it in Giles.

Tourism is an instant revenue generator for Virginia. In 2016, tourism generated $24 billion in revenue, supported nearly 230,000 jobs and provided $1.7 billion in state and local taxes. Dollars invested in tourism are proven to provide a 7:1 return in tax revenue for Virginia, and the grant awards and matching funds provide a stimulus to localities seeking to increase tourism visitation and revenue.

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Giles County, Virginia is located in Southwest Virginia approximately 40 minutes south of Roanoke and just west of Blacksburg and Virginia Tech. With easy access to the New River, world class dining and lodging properties, and historical attractions for the entire family, Giles offers adventure in Virginia’s Mountain Playground™. Come find your playground at our Visitors Center located at 203 N Main Street, Pearisburg, VA 24134 or find us online at gilescounty.org or by calling 540-921-2079. For interviews or onsite visits, please contact Cora Gnegy, Tourism Marketing Director. We can arrange and assist with any media needs. For more information about planning your visit to Giles County or about activities and events, please visit www.gilescounty.org or contact us at tourism@gilescounty.org.

Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Chartio to Expand to Blacksburg

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BLACKSBURG, VA – Chartio, a cloud-based data company out of San Francisco, is expanding to Downtown Blacksburg. Chartio’s new offices will be located in The Brownstone Building. Chartio will hire five new engineers this year, and plans to increase by 10-15 more in the next three.

The tech company creates charts and interactive dashboards for businesses. Some of their clients include Squarespace, GAP, Prezi, and Blackboard.

This is a great addition for the New River Valley’s growing base of companies in the Information Technology industry.

Read more from WDBJ7. Check out Chartio’s Career page to apply for open positions in Blacksburg.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Carilion NRV a Top Hospital for Nurses in VA

Carilion New River Valley Voted A Top Hospital for Nurses

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NEW RIVER VALLEY, VA — Carilion New River Valley Medical Center was named a top hospital for nurses to work in 2017. Coming in at no. 7 in the entire Commonwealth of Virginia, this ranking is calculated from surveys from nurses themselves.

2017 Best Hospitals in VA

Nurse.org looked at over 1,800 surveys from nurses in 314 hospitals across the state. The average rating for Carilion NRV was at 4.1/5 and it came 94% recommended by the surveyed nurses.

“We’re excited to be able to recognize Carilion New River Valley Medical Center for providing an excellent work environment for our nurses,” said Nurse.org Product Manager Phillip Lee. “Our survey data shows the hospital ranks in the top 2% in the state for nurse job satisfaction. By supporting nurses through an educational hospital where nurses can thrive and be successful, they are leaving a positive impact on their community.”

Some anonymous quotes from the reviews say:

“The staff is friendly and helpful. All disciplines work very well as a team. Your input is valued and heard. It is a busy place. You can obtain great skills and knowledge.”

“Great place to work. Excellent care and working environment, very safe.”

“It’s a great place to work. Great nurse PT ratios They care about you and we all work together as a team.”

Virginia’s New River Valley is a great place for nurses to live, including those still going to school. Radford University has an excellent nursing program, which will expand soon.

Visit Carilion NRV Medical Center for more information or to view job opportunities.

Read more at NRV News.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

VT College of Engineering #9 Among Public Institutions

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BLACKSBURG, VA — Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering ranks 9th among public institutions, according U.S. News & World Report’s 2018 Best College Rankings.

The college of engineering is also 14th among all national universities. Read more about programs offered and engineering news at https://eng.vt.edu/

Overall, Virginia Tech is ranked the 25th best public university and 69th for all national universities.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Montgomery County’s Prime Photonics, LC to Participate in Virginia’s VALET Program

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~Two-year export program provides resources to support international business expansion~

RICHMOND, VA – The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) today announced the acceptance of a Montgomery County company, Prime Photonics, LC, into its two-year Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program. The VALET program assists exporters in the Commonwealth that have firmly established domestic operations and are committed to international exporting as a growth strategy. To participate, each business must meet both quantitative and qualitative selection criteria. Participating firms are chosen based on their dedication to growing export sales. To date, 304 Virginia companies have been accepted to participate in the VALET program.

“VALET has provided a vehicle for participating companies to reach global markets and grow their business on a global scale since 2002,” said VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret. “The benefit of international trade to Virginia’s economy cannot be overstated, and I am confident that with a continued commitment to exporting, these businesses will see a strong return on investment in the coming years.”

Currently, the VALET program has 50 companies as participants. The program provides participating companies with export planning services and assistance from a team of experienced international service providers to help meet their international goals. These private sector service providers contribute essential expertise to assist companies in executing export plans and include attorneys, web designers, bankers, translators, accountants, and freight forwarders.

“The VALET program puts participating companies on the fast track to international business growth by connecting them with the necessary tools for successful international sales,” said Paul Grossman, VEDP Vice President of International Trade. “Since its inception in 2002, the program has worked with more than 300 businesses to accelerate their international sales growth. We are happy to welcome Prime Photonics to VALET and look forward to working with them over the course of the next two years.”

The Commonwealth of Virginia exports more than $34 billion in goods and services annually. Exports of Virginia’s products and services to the world are vital to the growth of the Commonwealth, supporting more than 232,000 jobs and generating $2 billion in tax revenue. VEDP offers numerous programs to assist Virginia companies with selling in the global marketplace and has a network of international market research consultants covering more than 70 countries around the globe.

Prime Photonics, LC

Prime Photonics develops impactful sensor and materials technologies and products for test & measurement, inspection, control, and health monitoring of commercial and military equipment, structures and turbomachinery. For more information, please visit http://www.primephotonics.com

Virginia Economic Development Partnership

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1995 to encourage, stimulate, and support the development and expansion of the economy of the Commonwealth. To accomplish its objectives of promoting economic expansion within the Commonwealth, the Partnership focuses its efforts on business recruitment, expansion and international trade.

For more information on the VALET Program, visit http://exportvirginia.org/services/programs-grants/

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Pulaski County and the Town of Pulaski Announce 40 New Jobs

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~Newcan Corporation to Invest $4 Million and Locate Headquarters and Manufacturing Operations to Pulaski County~

PULASKI, VA – On January 17, 2018, Pulaski County in partnership with the Town of Pulaski officially announced Newcan Corporation is moving their headquarters and their main production facility from Holbrook, Massachusetts to Pulaski, Virginia. The move will bring 40 new jobs and an investment of $4 million to Pulaski County. Newcan is a recognized leader in the production of high-quality precision stampings and perforated components. The company has a rich history dating back to 1902, and has pioneered many innovative techniques, resulting in an annual production of over 350,000,000 components. “We are an ISO/TS16949-registered supplier and our commitment to quality is second to none,” stated Rick Boettner, Chairman of Newcan. “We have a great relationship with the Town and County of Pulaski, so when we acquired Newcan it made good sense we would move it to Pulaski because of its premier location and its quality of workforce.”

“In today’s competitive market, I commend Falls Stamping and Welding for the innovation and vision to expand its current capabilities with a new business unit,” said Governor Ralph Northam. “A key aspect of strengthening our economy is ensuring that existing companies of all sizes continue to thrive in the Commonwealth. We thank this important corporate partner for creating 40 new jobs in Pulaski County, and look forward to Falls Stamping and Newcan Corporation’s future success.”

Newcan will be moving into its new home at 28 Jefferson Street in the Town of Pulaski. The facility currently houses Falls Stamping and Welding. Falls will continue to operate within the facility and both companies will have the same management team and ownership, though the companies will make different products and have different customer bases. “Newcan allows us to diversify our product offerings and enables us to increase our customer relationships,” stated Rick Boettner. “Newcan and Falls Stamping both have high standards for quality and customer service and we think having them together in the same facility will make them both even better.”

“It is becoming ever more important for Pulaski County to partner with our Towns to recruit business and industry and provide the support needed to help them stabilize and grow in today’s competitive marketplace,” stated Jonathan D. Sweet, County Administrator. “This is our first announcement of 2018 and it happens to be an excellent example of partnership, pragmatism, and teamwork on both the public and private side of the equation. We are so very thankful for Newcan and its leadership’s decision to locate their headquarters and main production operations to Pulaski County, and we feel confident this strategic move will afford Newcan and Falls Stamping the synergies needed to ensure they remain industry leaders in the precession stamping and perforated components arena for many years to come.”

Newcan is a major supplier to the automotive and industrial filter industry and offers the largest assortment of lock seam tubes available on the market today. They have progressive tooling, feeding, and straightening concepts that allow high-speed production of the most precise stampings at speeds up to 250 parts per minute.

“We have a lot happening in downtown Pulaski and we are excited Newcan has decided to make their new home here,” shared Mayor Nick Glenn, Town of Pulaski. “We are in the process of revitalizing our Main Street and we could not be more pleased to add these new jobs and investments to our local economy. This is also another example of the County and Town working together to better our community as a whole.”

The company will be starting the move in February with hopes to having the facility up and running by July of 2018. Newcan operates three facilities throughout the U.S. that include Greenfield, OH, Gastonia, NC and now Pulaski, VA. This project marks the fifth (5th) basic industry sector announcement for Pulaski County in the past nine (9) months and brings the County’s 9-month totals to 645 new jobs and $65 million in new capital.

Pulaski County, Virginia
Jonathan D. Sweet ICMA-CM
County Administrator
Phone: (540) 980-7705
Email: jsweet@pulaskicounty.org

Newcan Corporation
Jason L. Taft
Chief Financial Officer and V.P. of Sales Phone: (440) 263-1961
Email: jason.taft@falls-stamping.com

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Governor McAuliffe Announces 83 New Jobs in Giles County

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~ Interstate Group LLC to invest $4.1 million to establish East Coast manufacturing and distribution operation ~

 

GLEN LYN, VA – Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced that Interstate Group LLC, an industry leader in the manufacturing and sale of enclosed cargo trailers, will invest $4.1 million to establish a 100,000-square-foot East Coast manufacturing and distribution operation in the former GE Fairchild Mining Equipment plant in Giles County. Virginia successfully competed against North Carolina for the project, which will create 83 new jobs.

“We are thrilled that Interstate Group has selected Giles County and the Commonwealth as the home of its East Coast operations,” said Governor McAuliffe, speaking at the announcement. “This important project will not only create new jobs for an area that has been hard hit by recent closures, it will bring a shuttered plant back into productive use. With one of the nation’s largest transportation networks, an outstanding workforce, and competitive operating costs, the Commonwealth is the ideal location for Interstate Group as it expands its footprint. This is a major win for the New River Valley, and we are proud the company will contribute to our efforts to diversify and build a new Virginia economy.”

 

Founded in 1995, Interstate Group LLC is an industry leader in the manufacturing and sales of enclosed cargo trailers. The company is headquartered in Nampa, Idaho, and has manufacturing plants in Arkansas, Arizona, and Idaho.

 

“Strengthening the advanced manufacturing sector in the Commonwealth continues to be a top priority, and Interstate Group will be a great addition to the growing cluster in the New River Valley,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Todd Haymore. “Interstate Group joins nearly 6,000 manufacturing firms that operate in Virginia and generate more than $113 billion in direct annual economic output, and will bring vital, quality jobs to the region. We’re proud to add the company to our corporate roster, and we look forward to a long partnership.”


“Interstate is excited to select Glen Lyn as the location for our fourth and largest manufacturing plant,” said Michael Snow, CEO of Interstate Group. “We looked at other states in the region and at multiple locations in Virginia. The opportunity to repurpose an existing facility, combined with the incentives we received from the Commonwealth and Giles County, will help us reduce the cost of our investment while preserving our culture of high incentive-based pay for our team members. I have been very impressed with the understanding and responsiveness of the state and local officials to our needs and timelines. We look forward to being part of this community and making it the foundation of our growth on the East Coast.”

 

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Giles County and Onward New River Valley to secure the project for Virginia. Governor McAuliffe approved a $200,000 Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist the County with the project. The company will be eligible to receive Sales and Use Tax Exemptions on manufacturing equipment, and will also be eligible to receive a Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit. Funding and services to support Interstate Group’s employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

 

“This is great news for the entire New River Valley and we are very excited that Interstate Group has chosen Giles County as the location for its East Coast manufacturing facility,” said Richard McCoy, Chairman of the Giles County Board of Supervisors.

“These jobs are much needed in an economy that has been hard hit by downturns in the coal industry” added Dr. S. Lee Wheeler, Chairman of the Giles County Industrial Development Authority. We appreciate the work of the Economic Development Partnership, the Governor’s office, Onward New River Valley, and all of all those involved in making this a reality.”


Office of the Governor
Contact: Brian Coy
Email: Brian.Coy@governor.virginia.gov

 

Virginia Economic Development Partnership
Contact: Suzanne Clark
Phone: (804) 545-5806
Email: sclark@yesvirginia.org

 

Interstate Group LLC
Contact:  Michael Snow
Phone: 208 442 7640
Email: snowm@interstatecargo.com

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Virginia Ranked the #7 Most Innovative State

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NEW RIVER VALLEY, VA — The Commonwealth of Virginia was ranked the no. 7 most innovative state by Forbes. Advanced technology has greatly developed in Virginia and is expected to continue flourishing. In the original article, Forbes notes:

“[Virginia] is noteworthy for having the highest share of technology companies in the country. It ranked second for projected STEM job demand by 2020.”

Rackspace Web Hosting, Located in the VT Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, VA, boasts an open, laid-back work environment for their IT professionals.

Virginia’s New River Valley names Information Technology as one of the targeted industries for the region. Optimal office space, cutting-edge resources, and access to talent make the NRV an excellent fit for technology-related businesses. The lower cost of living and sophisticated culture in our collection of down-to-earth small towns make the region a great fit for people interested in working in IT.

Cover photo features the interior space at Qualtrax, a compliance software company located in Downtown Blacksburg.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Volvo Trucks to Secure 270 Acres Adjacent to the NRV Plant

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~Company acquires 49 acres from the Pulaski County IDA and Enters into a Lease Option Agreement on an Additional 221 acres for Future Business Growth Needs.~

DUBLIN, VA – On December 19th, the Pulaski County IDA, in concert with the Board of Supervisors officially conveyed 49 acres to Volvo Trucks as part of a performance agreement following the satisfaction of the company’s commitment to invest $38.1 million for the construction of a new 36,000 sq. ft. Customer Center and several plant upgrades to further improve the safety, quality and efficiency of NRV’s manufacturing processes, resulting in the creation of 32 new jobs. Volvo Trucks’ business case was to acquire the additional property to the south-western portion of the NRV plant in order to extend their 1.1 mile Customer Experience Track. Volvo Trucks has also entered into a Lease Option-to-Purchase Agreement for an additional 221 adjacent acres owned by the Pulaski County IDA. The IDA has worked with company executives to utilize this creative approach to both satisfy the county’s local incentive obligation and increase opportunities for further capital investments by Volvo Trucks to take place within the County.

“Working with the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors, the Industrial Development Authority and the county staff, these efforts led to the acquisition of the 49 acres and the securing of an additional 121 acres through a lease-option agreement.” said Franky Marchand, Vice President & GM of the Volvo Trucks NRV plant. “Our investments in advanced manufacturing, upgrades in our cab and paint facility and the construction of the new Customer Center were all instrumental in facilitating this important land deal. One of our many competitive advantages stems from providing a unique customer experience here. Extending the Customer Experience Track, our innovative products and services, and interaction with our dedicated employees, makes NRV ‘best-in-class’ for customer experience.”

“Volvo’s land acquisition and the option agreement on the more than 220 acres contiguous to their current operations, has the potential to be one of the most transformative investments the County has recently embarked on,” stated Jonathan D. Sweet, County Administrator. “The IDA’s recent purchase of the adjoining property and the subsequent readying of it for Volvo’s use has significant strategic value and affords our region’s largest employer the ability to further enlarge operations and secure new business, both of which could have a positive yield of new jobs, new investments and new opportunities for the county and our citizens.”

This summer the company introduced their new Volvo VNL series within their new Customer Center. This launch helped gain truck sales by bringing thousands of customers and dealers here to Pulaski County, Virginia During those customer events, the company saw confirmation that they needed to expand the track.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Qualtrax Featured in Virginia Business

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Qualtrax, a compliance software company in Montgomery County, VA, was featured in Virginia Business earlier this month. Qualtrax, which originated as a subsidiary of what is now Christiansburg’s FoxGuard Solutions has grown to 33 employees. Almost of half of whom were added this year.


Located in Downtown Blacksburg, Qualtrax preserved much of a former Masonic Lodge building. While they may call a historic building home, the new company has many modern amenities including a game room and a spot for employee slippers.

Read more from Stephenie Overman of Virginia Business. If you’re interested in rocking slippers to work, Qualtrax is currently hiring.


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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.


Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.