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E-Bird
Good morning from e-country. This is the Friday, September 5, 2008, edition of the Fairfax County E-Bird with business and economic development news about Fairfax County, Virginia USA.
Now hear this: Fairfax Symphony Orchestra executive director Elizabeth Murphy appeared this morning on Fairfax Channel 10's program "Communicating Today." See the interview again on Sunday, September 7; at 3:30 pm. Get more information about the FSO here. See Channel 10's lineup here.
Hot off the presses: The Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce's Northern Virginia GovCon Council announced that 33 Washington-area government contracting industry firms and executives are finalists in the 6th Annual Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards competition. The Chamber is one of the award sponsors. The winners will be announced in October, and among the nominees are 19 Fairfax County firms. MarketWatch.com has the full list.
On the road: Volkswagen of America's August move to its new digs in Herndon cost $150 million and involved the relocation of 120 Michigan employees. This piece in the Washington Business Journal by Jennifer Nycz-Conner movingly tells how this daunting task was accomplished.
Trust us: Herndon-based network security firm Trusted Computer Solutions, Inc. has purchased New York-based CounterStorm, Inc. TCS is a privately held spinoff of Tysons Corner-based MITRE Corp. The Washington Business Journal's Darlene Darcy spun this tale.
Relax: Tysons Corner-based FORTUNE 500 outfit Freddie Mac relaxed its ownership rules and rolled back a rule that precluded owners with a 20 percent or more controlling interest from voting without the approval of all other shareholders. Congress passed a law strengthening oversight of Freddie Mac and its District-based cousin Fannie Mae. This brief appeared in the Washington Post.
Suit up: A U.S. District judge has ruled that software behemoth Oracle (which maintains huge ops in Reston) destroyed or failed to preserve Chief Executive Larry Ellison's e-mails, which are sought as evidence in a class-action lawsuit filed against the company in 2001. Forbes.com's Ruthie Ackerman plays court reporter.
Social studies: Just as local businesses and organizations have been using social networking Web sites such as Facebook, MySpace and YouTube to draw potential customers to their Web sites, so have local jurisdictions. Fairfax County recently launched a social networking campaign, as have several area business organizations, including the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce and the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce. Leslie Pareles of the Herndon Observer invites you to read more.
Show me the money: The real estate slump is putting the pinch on some local banks. Among those banks posting losses in the second quarter are Reston-based Millennium Bank and Greater Atlantic Bank. Herndon-based Mainstreet Bank, however, swung to profitability in the second quarter, and Fairfax-based United Bank saw profits increase from the same period one year ago. The Washington Business Journal's Bryant Ruiz Switzky deposited this news on the Web site.
Diamonds are their best friend: Chantilly's Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles Hotel received the prestigious AAA Four Diamond Award for the 11th consecutive year. The Four Diamond Award indicates an exceptional level of personal service and hospitality, first-class amenities and impressive surroundings. This news sparkles on theopenpress.com Web site.
Celebrating diversity: Saturday, Sept. 6 is the date of the 8th Annual Reston Multicultural Festival where celebrating the heritage and culture of area residents has become a tradition. For more information visit the Reston Community Center Web site. Mirza Kurspahic celebrates this news in the Connection. Fairfax County's foreign-born population, as of 2006, was 26.8% and loyal E-Bird readers know that economic development increases the tax base which helps the Board of Supervisors fund highly valued programs for a growing and diverse population.
…more events…
September 10-TelecomHUB Luncheon-FCC in the Spotlight: A Conversation with Commissioner Robert McDowell. Click here for more information and registration. The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority is a proud TelecomHUB sponsor.
September 12--Fairfax County's Business/Nonprofit Homeland Security Committee meets. This is a way for the business community and Fairfax County government to discuss issues affecting homeland security. More info is here.
September 19-- Vienna/Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce BROWN BAG UNIVERSITY at Fairfax County Economic Development Authority--"The Top Ten Reasons Businesses Fail" with Lauren Kirby, President of TurnAround, LLC, and recipient of the 2007 Women in Technology Lifetime Achievement Award. Info and registration is here.
October 7--The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority's popular "Entrepreneurship 101: Starting a Business in Fairfax County" seminars continue after a summer reprieve. The remaining 2008 dates are October 7 and November 4. More info is available at the Web site.
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