Biz Talk - Business Blog Roanoke and Beyond

January 19 - February 28, 2008

 

Pamela Jean Gallery is located in Downtown Roanoke at 115 Salem Ave., across from the new Art Museum of Western Virginia.   For more information contact Pamela Jean or Susan at 540-904-7797 or email pamelajgallery@aol.com.

ROANOKE COUNTY & HOLLINS UNIVERSITY
RECEIVE PRESTIGIOUS VML PRESIDENT’S AWARD

Roanoke County and Hollins University took home the Virginia Municipal League (VML)  President’s Award this year for their work with an annual summer camp for youth offered in cooperation with area businesses. 

The program known as Technology Education for Kids or TEK Camp is focused on workforce development which is a significant concern for businesses in the Roanoke Valley and beyond.  Members of Roanoke County’s Economic Development Department, Director of Social Services and a representative from Hollins University traveled to Williamsburg last month to accept the award at VML’s Annual Conference.  And on Tuesday of this week, the program was highlighted during the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors meeting.

TEK Camp is a project that identifies students with technical potential at an early age for the purpose of enhancing their skills training in the secondary school system. The camp spans five days and is free of charge for the children, who are provided meals, transportation, and supplies.  Camp is held on the campus of Hollins University with fieldtrips to the business community throughout the week to meet local executives, human resource managers and employees.  The classes and interactive programs challenge young people to discover how technology impacts their lives and the many career and educational opportunities that are available to them.  Hollins University and Roanoke County could not make the camp the success it is without the help of the local business community and Roanoke County schools.  Some of the businesses that have opened their doors to the children include First Team Auto Mall, WDBJ Television, Q-99 and the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center.

One judge described the program as, “…a successful, innovative and collaborative effort of local government, educators and business leaders, resulting in the continuous development of a well-trained technical workforce for the Roanoke Valley Region.”

TEK Camp began in 2004, with 12 students enrolled in a pilot program. In 2006, Roanoke County received 57 applications and enrolled 38 participants.  Corporate sponsors and partners fund the program.

The President’s Award is the most prestigious award granted by the VML Achievement Awards program.  The award was established in 1996 for Virginia governments to submit projects which exemplify the jurisdiction’s efforts to improve the delivery of services to its citizens in an innovative and entrepreneurial manner.

The Roanoke Regional Small Business Development Center and the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce announced ten small business category winners along with an overall small business of the year.

Congratulations to Luna Innovations for winning the Small Business of the Year! Winner in the Technology category, Luna Innovations was chosen for it's phenomenal growth and national reputation.  Luna Innovations was founded in 1990 as a developer and manufacturer of new-generation products for the healthcare, telecommunications, energy and defense markets. Its products are used to measure, monitor, protect and improve critical processes. Luna Innovations has evolved into a recognized leader in transitioning science to solutions.

Category winners include:

• Small Business Advocate: Roger P. Scott, volunteer business counselor with the Roanoke SCORE Chapter 26.
• Construction/Real Estate: Thor, Inc., General Contractors and Engineers, a commercial, industrial, institutional, medical, and residential contractor and engineering firm.
• Manufacturing: Timber Truss Housing Systems, a manufacturer of building products and components.
• Micro-Business: SmithLewis Architecture, offers cost-effective sustainable design solutions to a diverse group of clients.
• Technology:  Luna Innovations.
• Business-to-Business Services:  Leisure Publishing, a leading city and regional publisher specializing in publications for the travel and real estate markets.
• Business-to-Consumer Services: Virginia Prosthetics, provides prosthetics and orthotics that help enable amputees to return to the life they once knew.
• Wholesale/Retail: Heavenly Ham & The Seafood Company, this company turned a franchise into a trendsetter while continually growing their business and services.
• Legacy Award: Davidsons, for almost 100 years three generations of one family have provided personal service to every customer.
• Not-For-Profit Arts & Culture: Roanoke Catholic School, for over a century this nationally-ranked school has shared in the rich history of the Roanoke Valley.
• Not-For-Profit Health & Human Services: Southwestern Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank, distributes food to 350 agencies that directly feed the region’s hungry.

Congratulations to all of the winners!

This is a followup to my post on the Downtown Roanoke Wi-Fi project.   I was recently invited to attend a meeting with Roanoke City regarding the Downtown WIFI Hotzone.  Clearly Roanoke has been identified nationally as a technology leader and as a model for cities considering a downtown Wi-Fi hotspot.  Seattle, WA modeled their system after Roanoke. 

It was clearly recognized by those attending the meeting that the level and consistency of the service has deteriorated over the years and more attention needs to be placed on making the Wi-Fi service readily available in the designated areas.  It was also agreed that there was very little marketing done to promote the downtown Wi-Fi service.

Suggestions included:

1. Help Downtown Roanoke to understand the importance of Wi-Fi as a marketing tool.
2. Getting local downtown businesses involved in promoting the free Wi-Fi hotzone.
3. Work with the technical service provider (Cox) to offer local downtown businesses a hotspot using less expensive hardware to amplify the signal to their business.

These points were aimed to locally heighten the interest in the Downtown Wi-Fi project.  There have also been two recent articles in the Roanoke Times by Duncan Adams.  Roanoke Wi-Fi lingers on fritz and Downtown wireless may finally be fixed.

Based on this second article that the service MAY be fixed, I was delighted and scheduled a business meeting at the Roanoke City Market Building's International Food Court.  I started using the Wi-Fi connection but within 10 minutes it had slowed to a crawl and then it quit.  I was totally embarrassed without my technical tool.

If I were a business person or impressionable young professional visiting the area this would have definitely tarnished my image of Roanoke as a digital or technology leader.

What's the City of Roanoke's next step to monitor and maintain the Wi-Fi consistency?  Brian Brown, from Roanoke City's Office of Economic Development, told me that the City does have a plan.  He said within the next 3-6 months they will be doing a series of improvements, including upgrading the Wi-Fi technology at the City Market Building.  They intend to improve the consistency of the W-Fi connection.  Local users and vistors will greet this improvement with welcome arms! 

Let us know if you have any additions we can add to our Wi-Fi list at www.RoanokeBiz2Biz.com.

Press Release

Best Mailing Service and Best Computer Services have merged together to form BMS Direct, Inc, a one stop marketing solution. BMS Direct, Inc. offers a complete direct mail marketing package from creative design and printing to mailing and fulfillment services targeting Virginia, Maryland, DC, and North Carolina markets and serving clients nationally.

Lynchburg, VA (PRWEB) September 5, 2007 - Best Mailing Service (BMS) and Best Computer Services will merge together to form BMS Direct, Inc. The merger will combine the services of both companies to form a progressive direct mail marketing solution targeting Virginia, Maryland, DC, and North Carolina markets and serving clients nationally. The merger will become effective September 1, 2007, at which time customers will continue to receive the same high quality and personal customer service they have been accustomed to for the past 34 years.

BMS Direct, Inc will provide a one stop solution for our customers, from creative design and printing to complete mailing and fulfillment services. James LaPrade will continue to serve as President and Leif Aagaard will be Vice President of the new company. LaPrade explains "By combining our businesses together we will be able to reduce costs and improve our operations without jeopardizing the valuable service and customer support we provide our clients."

BMS operates multiple facilities in Virginia. They are headquartered in Lynchburg, where they maintain an 80,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility that includes their corporate offices, production and warehouse space. The Roanoke location houses their Presort Division and serves as their disaster recovery site.

For additional information on the merger of Best Mailing Service and Best Computer Services contact James LaPrade at 434-455-7724 or visit http://www.best-mailing.com

About BMS Direct, Inc. - A full service direct mail marketing company providing data processing, printing, letter shop, fulfillment and warehouse services in Virginia, Maryland, DC and North Carolina.

BMS Direct Press Release - September 5, 2007

As a Roanoke Businessperson, I am always looking for new venues to promote Downtown Roanoke business. RoanokeBiz2Biz.com will be establishing a new target area on our website that will focus on Downtown Businesses.

I recently attended three great meetings with the City of Roanoke Department of Economic Development.  Brian Brown, Economic Development Administrator, shared working outlines for implementing the districting of the downtown that was outlined in the “97 Outlook Plan. This looked very exciting but we learned it was never implemented. 

I was introduced to Jack Barber, Developer of 110 Campbell – Commonwealth Park, the old Leggett building. Here are some of Jack’s comments on development of the new proposed district encompassing his new office complex.

“As a property owner in Downtown I have a fiduciary duty to account for all the monies that my partnership spends which includes the amounts that we pay to the city for the special tax district which we are members.  DRI referred me to this districting plan that was never implemented which basically enables me to have a say in how my money is to be spent; first on a district level and then in conjunction with the needs of our neighbors in the other districts.  I have been successful in working with Brian Brown of the City EDA to basically define and outline as a pilot project what is known as the Rail District.  The Rail District is a Economic Development unit that is bounded by Jefferson on the east side, the railroad tracks on the north side, Fifth Street on the west side, and snakes down between the middle of Campbell and Kirk on the south side.“  

“Although this is a fairly large area, myself and others see the district informally breaking down into several neighborhoods that have their own concerns; but the overall direction of the district can be governed by initiatives that arise out of the desire of the citizens to take control of their future.  This organization can be replicated in all the other districts as they organize.  Further, the model also should be the governing principle for the City.  In this way, the stakeholders (the property owners, business owners, residents etc.) can communicate their needs in a concerted effort to City Hall.  In addition, City Hall, by having this model in place, has the ability to communicate in a methodical way back to its citizens. City Hall can now address their challenges and opportunities in a way that is more conducive to an orderly and representative society.  Bottom line, it’s good for the business of the citizens as well as the city.”

This plan seems to be a great venue for developing and promoting the identity of different districts. I want to lend my support. I welcome your comments. What are the next steps needed to make it operational? 

Ira Kaufman

President RoanokeBiz2Biz

In last weeks Biz Links post I included an article about two Roanoke businesses featured in Business Week.  Congratulations are in order for these two local businesses.  The article, Hands-Free HR, When does outsourcing make sense? interviewed Chris Nininger, owner Bug Man Exterminating with his experience using a PEO (professional employer organization) to outsource his HR and payroll services.  Payroll Solutions Plus is owned by local businessman, Len DeShano. 

"Nininger uses Payroll Solutions Plus in Roanoke, Va., to oversee the human resources duties - from payroll and insurance administration to writing employee handbooks." 

Check out both company websites to learn more about these businesses.  Again, congratulations to Chris Nininger, Bug Man Exterminating and Len DeShano, Payroll Solutions Plus.

Will work for food, gas, rent… I am a young college graduate from southwest Virginia looking for employment in Roanoke.  I am looking for a professional job to pay for food, gas and rent.  If you are hiring please call me for an interview.

Sound familiar?  This is a scenario familiar to our young professionals living and wanting to stay in Roanoke.  But, without years of experience how many Roanoke businesses will give them a chance?  This is a sad situation in our current local job market.  We are losing talented young adults to areas within a 3 hour drive of Roanoke.  They are relocating to NC and Northern Virginia.

Brandon Turner touched on the situation in his article in the Roanoke Times.  Turner wrote "Here is a question for businesses: How do you realistically expect my generation to gain experience if nobody will hire us?"  So what can we do to retain these young professionals in the Roanoke area?  Stuart Mease offered a perspective of the job seeker on his blog, Connecting People. 

Roanoke businesses need to rethink their employment strategy. Hiring and training college graduates allow the region and the workforce to grow and build a sustainable workforce. The solution is in your hands!!

A successful business owner is always looking for ways to improve marketing strategies and business development.  The Virginia Economic Bridge is a great resource for Virginia businesses.  It is a non-profit organization focused on creating an environment for economic growth in today's technologically advanced society.  The VEB promotes economic vitality and external competitiveness of the Commonwealth by fostering business, industry and educational relationships between Southwest Virginia, Northern Virginia, as well as other areas of the Commonwealth.

Carl Mitchell, President of Virginia Economic Bridge, shared many tools his organization has made available to the southwest Virginia business community at the Roanoke Biz2Biz Leaders Forum "Creating a Regional Presence". 

The VEB has recently partnered with Center/Council for Rural Virginia and the Virginia Association of Counties in organizing meetings in all southwest Virginia planning districts.  Accessing New Markets and Enabling Rural Business Growth, the meeting for Roanoke-Alleghany district is scheduled for July 26 at Virginia Western Community College.  To learn more about these meetings and to see a complete schedule with locations, check out OurValley.org. 

More on Creating a Regional Presence and Strategic Marketing Opportunties