Monthly News from Hampton Roads
| |
|
Note from the President
Doug Smith, Alliance President & CEO
The Hampton Roads Alliance continues to be at the forefront of economic development efforts in our region, and I am pleased to share some notable updates and achievements with you.
One of our strategies is hosting more site selectors in Hampton Roads. In May, our region held the highly anticipated Virginia Consultants Forum at the Marriott in Virginia Beach. This event brought together nearly 20 national site selectors, our local economic development community, and key partners such as the Port of Virginia, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), and the Virginia Economic Developers Association (VEDA). The forum provided an invaluable platform for networking, knowledge sharing, and collaborative discussions aimed at driving economic growth in our region.
I am pleased to report that our business development team has been extremely proactive and successful in attracting new opportunities to Hampton Roads. We are seeing a surge in business development activity, which bodes well for our region's economic future. A couple of events to highlight included our team attending the Select USA event in Washington, D.C. This gathering brought together global investors and business leaders interested in exploring opportunities in the United States. Our presence at this event showcased the immense potential and competitive advantages Hampton Roads offers as an investment destination. In collaboration with Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, our business development team led a successful marketing mission to Germany. This initiative aimed to establish stronger economic ties and attract German companies to our region. The mission provided an excellent platform for showcasing Hampton Roads' unique value propositions and fostering mutually beneficial partnerships.
Our team also embarked on a productive visit to Chicago, partnering with Newport News and Suffolk to call on potential companies. By engaging in face-to-face discussions with key decision-makers, we aimed to highlight the advantages of establishing a presence in Hampton Roads. These efforts will undoubtedly enhance our visibility and attract new investment opportunities to our region.
In conclusion, the Hampton Roads Alliance remains committed to its mission of promoting economic growth and prosperity in our region. The Virginia Consultants Forum served as an exceptional opportunity for collaboration and knowledge exchange, while our business development team's efforts have yielded promising results. As we move forward, let us continue to work together to unlock the full potential of Hampton Roads.
Your ally in economic development,
|  | | |
Hampton Roads Alliance Launches Platform to Attract Jobs and Emerging Industries | The Hampton Roads Alliance is upping its intelligence to help economic development professionals share data to attract jobs and emerging industries to the region. The Alliance tapped Port & Starboard, a Virginia Beach-based boutique technology consulting company, to develop a Salesforce software-powered platform that enables localities to share information about business opportunities, track business retention and expansion projects and work together to bring business growth to Hampton Roads. | Fairbanks Morse Defense Celebrates Opening of 45,000-Square-Foot Training and Service Center Campus in Chesapeake, VA | Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), an Arcline Investment Management portfolio company, celebrated the grand opening of its newest Training and Service Center Campus in Chesapeake, Va. located at 733 Curtis Saunders Court on May 17th. The state-of-the-art, 45,000-square-foot facility is positioned to offer fully integrated service and technology solutions to the largest concentration of Navy, Military Sealift Command, and Coast Guard fleets in the US. | Inside Business Reveals Power List 2023 and Top 20 | |
Inside Business creates its annual Power List to showcase who’s who in terms of moving the needle for the economy in Hampton Roads, whether they be the decision-makers, the influencers or those working behind the scenes. Alliance President and CEO Doug Smith made the Top 20 list, alongside representatives from several of our investors and partners:
W.M. Jordan Company, Venture Realty Group, Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters, The Port of Virginia, Hampton Roads Executive Roundtable, Hampton Roads Workforce Council, Sentara Health, and the City of Norfolk, VA.
|
Connected DMV and Partners Submit Application to U.S.
Department of Energy to Create Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub
| Connected DMV and a cross-sector coalition of more than 60 partners representing Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia announced that it has submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Energy to create the Mid-Atlantic Hydrogen Hub (the Hub) as part of the DOE’s Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program backed by a total of $8 billion in federal funding. The Hub integrates a portfolio of high-impact hydrogen demand and clean hydrogen production into a regional network of diverse use cases to accelerate market adoption and scale, drive down costs and spur innovation. | 100 Influential Leaders in Business in Coastal Virginia | CoVABiz published a list of the top 100 influential leaders in business in coastal Virginia. Congratulations to all! We want to give a special shoutout to the Alliance investors and partners that made the list, as well as the Alliance's own Jared Chalk, Chief Business Development Officer, and Doug Smith, President and CEO! | |
Chesapeake Preps 1,400-Acre Industrial Park | |
In November 2022, Chesapeake City Council began rezoning 1,420 acres of agricultural land for the Coastal Virginia Commerce Park, an industrial park. Council allocated $14.3 million to the Chesapeake Economic Development Authority for a down payment on the property. The EDA has a contract to buy the land for $37 million from Virginia Beach farmer Frank T. Williams, with an option to acquire 2,602 acres nearby.
| Doug Smith Joins Foodbank Board of Directors | The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore is pleased to announce that Doug Smith has joined its board of directors. As President & CEO of the Hampton Roads Alliance, Mr. Smith oversees the staff of business development, business intelligence and marketing professionals, and leads the operations of the region’s economic development organization that represents 13 municipalities and over 70 private sector investors. | Breeze Airways Announces 4 New Nonstop Flights From Norfolk, Including Los Angeles | Breeze Airways announced four new nonstop flights from Norfolk International Airport, which includes flights now being offered to Los Angeles. Starting in May and June, Breeze Airways will be offering flights to Los Angeles, CA, Akron-Canton, OH, Syracuse, NY, Portland, ME. Breeze will also be offering a one-stop flight to Raleigh Durham, NC. | Life-Changing Innovation Taking Place in Virginia Beach | Innovation is the driving force behind Virginia Beach-based LifeNet Health, one of the world’s largest life sciences not-for-profit organizations specializing in organ, tissue and cell procurement for transplantation and the utilization of tissue and cells for biomedical applications in a variety of surgical disciplines, research and drug discovery. | GO VA Region 5 Council Welcomes New Members | The Growth and Opportunity (GO) Virginia Region 5 Council announced new members to its leadership structure by appointing several new members and naming a new vice-chair. The new members joining the council include: Casey Roberts, Executive Director of New Horizons Regional Education Centers, Bob Howard, Chief Investment Officer of Gold Key|PHR, Mark Johnson, Senior Vice President & Community Development Manager at Truist, Sarah Jane Kirkland, Associate Vice President for Corporate Partnerships at Old Dominion University, Sharon Goodwyn, Counsel at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, and Aubrey Layne, Executive Vice President of Governance and External Affairs at Sentara Healthcare. | |
Sentara Healthcare Rebrands as Sentara Health | Sentara Healthcare is rebranding as Sentara Health, the Norfolk-based health system announced. Additionally, in its health insurance division, Sentara will retire Sentara Health Plans’ subsidiary brands, Optima Health and Virginia Premier, unifying them under the Sentara Health Plans brand by the end of the year. | CHKD Mental Hospital's First 6 Months | In October 2022, CHKD opened Children's Pavilion to meet the critical need for pediatric mental health care. In this WAVY-TV 10 story, CHKD's incoming President and CEO Amy Sampson and Chief of Mental Health Services Dr. Carl Petersen share the latest updates on the facility. | ODU Alumni Association Announces 40 Under 40 Class of 2023 | |
The Old Dominion University Alumni Association has announced its 40 Under 40 Alumni Recognition Program Class of 2023.
The honorees demonstrate the best in achievement and service.
| |
High Pressure Systems Manufacturer to Expand in Virginia | Governor Youngkin announced that Virginia-headquartered BAUER COMPRESSORS, INC., a subsidiary of Munich-based BAUER KOMPRESSOREN Group, the world’s foremost innovative designer and manufacturer of high-pressure systems, will invest $7.4 million to expand its operation in the City of Norfolk. The company will increase capacity to produce more hydrogen and natural gas compressors to meet growing demand. Virginia successfully competed with Ohio and South Carolina for the project, which will create 47 new jobs. | The Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC), North America's oldest and largest regional economic development association, has announced several new #SEDCPros in 2023, including the Alliance's own Senior Vice President of Business Development, Amy Parkhurst! SEDC Membership is an ROI-producing investment in economic acceleration in the American South. | |
Jared Chalk
Chief Business Development Officer
| | |
|
|
Jared Chalk joined the Alliance in September 2022 as Chief Business Development Officer. In this role, Jared leads the organization’s business development and investor relations efforts, bringing his considerable experience attracting and retaining companies to the region’s leading economic development organization.
Jared previously served as the Director of the Norfolk Department of Economic Development since 2018. He worked for the City of Norfolk for nearly 17 years in a variety of roles, including in the Office of Budget and Management, City Manager’s Office, and the Department of Development.
| |
|
Under his leadership, the Norfolk Department of Development has received three awards from the International Economic Development Council. Some of the recent signature projects Jared has worked on include the Hilton Main Hotel, ADP, IKEA, Simon Premium Outlets, Headwaters Resort and Casino, CMA CGM Group, MetroNet, and the acquisition of Military Circle Mall.
Jared was named to Virginia Business’s Top 500 Power List in 2021 and 2022. He is also a 2019 graduate of Lead Hampton Roads and made Hampton Roads’ Top 40 Under 40 and Top 100 People to Meet in Virginia lists in 2020.
| |
Click here to sign up to receive the Hampton Roads Alliance newsletter. | |
Click here to submit a story to the Hampton Roads Alliance newsletter. | | | | |
