Loudoun Business January 2012

INSIDE New Board Prepares Economic Development Boost ...Page 3 J AN UARY 20 1 2 VOLUME 9 NO. 2

2011 Marks Record Year At Dulles

By Kara Clark, Staff Writer

2011 was a banner year for Dulles Airport, and hopes are to build on Dulles’ success as an economic engine in 2012.

Airport Manager Chris Browne gave his annual address to the Committee for Dulles in December. While international traffic rose to new record levels at Dulles, with new nonstop service to Reykjavik, Iceland, and Istanbul, Turkey, domestic traffic declined, reflecting significant cuts in capacity spread among U.S. airports, which was consistent with industry trends.

After rapid growth in air cargo in 2010, this sector of airport business declined in 2011

as economic conditions softened. But international cargo remained relatively strong.

The Washington, DC, region’s air traffic has grown faster than the national average in the last 15 years, Browne noted, and the area’s international traffic continues to far exceed national growth trends during that same time period. The region also ranks as having the fourth highest propensity for international travel, making it a magnet for international air service growth.

In 2011, domestic travel at Dulles declined slightly to 17.1 million passengers, down from 17.4 million a year earlier.

The airport reached a high of 22.1 million domestic passengers in 2005. International

travel continued its steady growth, recording 6.5 million passengers last year, a jump of about 100,000. Total passengers at Dulles equated to 23.6 million in 2011, down from 23.8 million in 2010. The record was also achieved in 2005, when the airport totaled 27.1 million passengers.

Domestic capacity, measured in passenger seats, declined steadily throughout 2011, recording a 6.1 percent drop by the end of the year. But, despite frequency cuts on some routes, Dulles gained service to Louisville, KY; Minneapolis, MN; Salt Lake City, UT; and Tulsa, OK; although it lost American Airlines service to San Juan, PR. International capacity continued its

upswing, recording a gain of 1 percent.

Expanded route frequencies were added to Istanbul, Turkey; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Beijing, China; and Paris, France.

Air cargo declined after a strong 2010, with 315,000 freight tonnes recorded. This was down from 323,000 in 2010. International cargo remained steady, however, with only a 1,000-ton drop. Browne noted that the decline in air cargo tracked downward with increasing economic uncertainty as the year wore on.

But on the plus side, Dulles has a lot to boast when it comes to its cargo opportunities. Browne noted that the airport’s See Dulles, Page 9

Leesburg Airport Continues Growth; New Initiatives Planned

By Kara Clark, Staff Writer

Leesburg Airport’s increasing popularity over the years has meant more capital projects to expand the general aviation airport’s capacity. Currently, hangar space is 100 percent leased and tie-downs are more than 90 percent leased at the airport. The Leesburg Airport Commission and town staff has been eying the purchase of additional acreage around the airport to continue its rapid growth into the future. Town of Leesuburg Photo PRSRT STD U.S. Postage

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Leesburg Executive Airport has some exciting things on the horizon, according to Airport Commission Chairman Dennis Boykin, who appeared before the Leesburg Town Council in December to update it on several initiatives underway at the town general aviation airport.

The airport’s popularity continues to grow, evidenced by its zero vacancy hangars and 93 percent occupied tie-downs.

With 239 aircraft based at the airport and an obvious need for further growth, several projects have recently wrapped up to help address that demand. Two phases of the South Apron expansion project, including construction of a larger fuel farm, have been completed and the long-planned instrument landing system is operational, Boykin noted. Grant awards have also helped pave the way for other improvements, including security gates, road repairs and a helipad.

On the latter, Boykin said Acting Airport Director Kaj Dentler is working on a lease for the helipad, which isn’t even built yet.

Commissioners and airport staff members also are looking toward future runway extensions and acquiring an additional 40 acres of land. The appraisal process for that land is ongoing, Boykin said.

The commission also is looking for the Federal Aviation Administration and the

state government to help with the funding of perimeter fencing, which would help improve safety and customer service. While helping to keep wildlife out, perimeter fencing also would allow virtually every kind of aircraft to be based in Leesburg based on insurance companies’ requirements.

Another prospect for the airport is the potential location of a U.S. Customs Service office to allow for international flights to arrive and depart from the airport. With negotiations ongoing between the town airport and Customs, Boykin said there is no timeline for a decision, but hopes are to get something done by the next fiscal year. There is the potential for Customs to use shared space or other space could be constructed for that sole purpose.

Although attendance was down for the 2011 airport air show because of inclement weather, the airport staff has acquired a $10,000 state aviation department grant to put toward this year’s show, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 29.

The Town Council approved changes to the airport’s rules and regulations in December, an item commissioners had been poring over and editing for a few years. The prior version had not been updated since 1986.

Dentler said the three major changes to the rules and regulations provide airSee Leesburg, Page 9

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Leesburg’s Best Western Hotel and Conference Center donated five free room nights to Travelers Aid Washington Dulles International Airport for use during the holiday season. The rooms were used Dec. 22-31 for travelers in need. “We are a member of the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, and the community has been very good to us. In the season of sharing and caring, we want to help others who could use our services. We Love Guests! is our philosophy, and this is one way to put words into action,” Best Western management stated.

The Dulles Area Association of Realtors recently donated the proceeds of its annual silent auction to a slew of local charities. It marks the 20th consecutive year DAAR has presented auction proceeds to local charities. Since the program’s inception in 1992, more than $250,000 has been raised and donated. During a special ceremony Jan. 4 at DAAR’s Ashburn headquarters, the more than $30,000 raised during the late 2011 silent auction was presented to nine local shelter-based organizations. Recipients were: Rebuilding Together, Good Shepherd Alliance, Hope Village, Loudoun After-Care, Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter, Loudoun Families for Children, Volunteers of America Emergency Shelter, Habitat for Humanity and Volunteers of America-Transitional Housing Shelter. The annual charitable event is organized by the DAAR Community Services Committee, which encourages participation in community events, facilitates volunteer opportunities and provides financial support to local charities with a specific emphasis on organizations that provide shelter to area residents and/or benefit children.

Inova Loudoun Hospital got into the giving spirit on several occasions during the holiday season. Gifts for 60 children were collected by hospital staff and volunteers as part of the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program. The annual program provides new clothing and toys for less fortunate children in the area. In addition, a group of United Airlines pilots and staff made the rounds Dec. 14, dropping off toys and other gifts to Inova Loudoun Hospital’s pediatric patients. The initiative is part of the Pilots for Kids program, an international nonprofit.

Loudoun Business | PAGE 3

JANUARY 2012

Board Prepares Economic Development Boost

By Erika Jacobson Moore, Staff Writer

During the first meeting of its term Jan. 3 the new Board of Supervisors got right to work on one of its campaign promises: putting more focus on economic development in Loudoun. Supervisors moved quickly to adopt a resolution of support for county businesses and to reform the standing Economic Development Committee that was eliminated by the previous board.

The intent of the resolution, supervisors said, was to send a positive message

Supervisor Matt Letourneau (R-Dulles) addresses the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce two days after being appointed chairman of the Board of Supervisors' Economic Development Committee.

to the industry and let business owners know they had a partner in the county government.

The resolution notes the county’s

position as one of the biggest growth areas for business in the country, and says the board is “proud of its business community and acknowledges the many contributions made to the County’s overall fiscal and social health.” It states, supervisors are “committed to each of our strategic business partners and overall business community to ensure their success and growth” and the board “pledges to build even stronger public-private partnerships to optimize Loudoun’s position regionally, nationally and internationally as we seek opportunities to attract new national and international entrepreneurs to become part of Loudoun County’s successful business environment.”

Also on the board’s opening day agenda was the confirmation of nominees to the Rural Economic Development Council and the Economic Development Commission.

It was there that supervisors found their first controversy, as five supervisors voted against seating Notaviva owner Stephen Mackey to a second term. The four remaining supervisors abstained.

The singling out of Mackey’s nomination came at the motion of Vice Chairman Janet Clarke (R-Blue Ridge), who said appointees to these commissions should reflect the image and the attitude of the Board of Supervisors and the county as a whole. In October, Mackey took the Purcellville Town Council, and one member in particular, to task over the proposed Southern Collector Road, which required the quick take of a portion of a Purcellville area farm. That matter is now under litigation.

While Clarke did not specifically mention the incident, she did note that Mackey “attacked a town government” and said that was not in keeping with the board’s commitment to a good working relationSee Supervisors, Page 4

EDC Welcomes New, Returning Members

By Kara Clark, Staff Writer The Loudoun Economic Development Commission began the year welcoming new and old faces to its ranks.

At its first business meeting of its new, four-year term the Board of Supervisors voted on the slate of nominees for the EDC. Group A members include: Kurt Krause, of the National Conference Center, who will represent the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce this year as its chairman; Mary Ellen Taylor, of Endless

Summer Harvest, who will represent the Rural Economic Development Council as its EDC liaison; Patrick Kaler, CEO of Visit Loudoun, who represents the tourism body; and Jack Potter, CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

Several Group B members, who serve three-year terms, were reappointed. They are: John Bischoff, Linda Erbs, Michelle Frank, Alice Frazier, Mary Porter Green, Mark Hassinger, Joe Paciulli and Ed Zigo.

New Group B members include Chris Charron, of Sterling’s Charron Consulting; See EDC, Page 4

Salamander Resort Plans 2013 Opening; Junius To Join Project

By Margaret Morton, Staff Writer 2013 is now eyed for the opening of a much-anticipated Middleburg resort.

Salamander Hotels and Resorts President Prem Devadas appeared before the Middleburg Town Council in December to provide an update on the status of the opening of the Salamander Resort and Spa. That date is now set for April 2013, and Devadas indicated a soon-to-be announced boost from a financial investment in the company by Junius Capital.

Originally slated for a 2010 opening, that date has slipped over the past few years as the state of the economy worsened—particularly the hospitality industry.

Devadas noted the industry is 70 percent back from its peak in 2006-07, anticipated to improve to 75 percent recovery next year

and becoming stronger through 2013 and 2014.

Devadas said owner Sheila C. Johnson has decided, “we can’t keep waiting forever.”

The addition of the equity partner will aid in the opening of the resort and in achieving the goal to make Salamander “the greatest new resort in the U.S.,” Devadas said.

Junius Capital is a new fund with strong financial backing, Devadas told the council.

What he and Johnson particularly liked is the managing director’s sensitivity to Middleburg and all that entails.

“He gets it,” Devadas said.

Junius Capital is completing its due diligence and the transaction was expected See Salamander, Page 10

Leesburg Company Wins MWAA Contract

By Kara Clark, Staff Writer

Blake Landscapes has been awarded a contract through the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to take over landscape maintenance services at Dulles Airport and along the Dulles Toll Road.

The Leesburg-based company won the five-year contract through a competitive bidding process. It was notified of its contract award in mid-October and began its work Dec. 1.

Company president Jay Frye said he was excited about the company’s win and its ability to showcase its talents at the

high profile airport and heavily traveled highway.

Frye said the company first looked at bidding on the MWAA landscape maintenance contract about nine years ago but this year company growth had gotten to the point “where we had the management and structure to handle a contract like this.”

The contract award will allow Blake Landscapes to grow substantially. Frye said 20 new employees have been hired so far, with plans for more hires. The new employees bring the company’s total employment to around 82, he said.

“It adds to our staff, it adds to our

capabilities, it adds to our presence in the market,” Frye said of the contract.

Because MWAA thoroughly vets all companies competing for a contract, Frye said the five-month period between placing the bid and winning the award was “very helpful” in giving the company time to scrutinize itself.

“It was a good process for us to engage in and go through,” he said.

As part of the contract requirement, Blake enrolled in the federal E-Verify program, which verifies new employees’ legal eligibility to work in the U.S. The program is administered through the Department of Homeland Security and participation is

voluntary for most businesses.

Frye said it was rewarding, as a local company, to be selected for the contract, given that several national companies were competing. As part of the contract, Blake will operate a facility and satellite office on the airport property.

The company, locally owned and operated since 1951, has its offices on 10 acres on Samuels Mill Court in Leesburg.

In addition to MWAA, Blake’s customers include local governments, including the counties of Loudoun and Clarke, and several residential communities throughout the region.

PAGE 4 | Loudoun Business

Supervisors

Continued From Page 3 ship with businesses, communities and the western towns.

But only a day later it turned out the controversy was unnecessary as a “clerical error” by the EDC put Mackey’s name on the nomination list even though his term is not up until December of this year. Mackey was not present at the EDC meeting when the nomination list was compiled and so could not correct the mistake ahead of time.

Supervisors, who spoke before the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce

just two days after the board’s first meeting, also highlighted the need to improve access to Dulles Airport, with several supervisors advocating new studies of road projects that could provide cargo haulers with a more direct route to feed the international hub. Improvements to the Rt. 606 corridor, a new link to I-66 and a Potomac River crossing at the north end of Rt. 28 were among the priorities presented. The members of the previous board had opposed similar concepts citing their opposition to the controversial “outer beltway” proposal that have been studied off and on since the late 1980s.

Supervisors also pledged to streamline government operations, appointing a new

JANUARY 2012

Government Reform Committee, and cut red tape for businesses and land developers by reworking elements of the county’s Zoning Ordinance and other regulations.

The EDC and the REDC will continue to be a topic of the new supervisors in the coming weeks, as the first meeting of the board’s reformed Economic Development Committee will focus on those two entities.

While the agenda has not been finalized for the Jan. 23 meeting, committee Chairman Supervisor Matt Letourneau (RDulles) said he plans on bringing in the chairs of both the REDC and the EDC to discuss their organizations in a formal manner. Mary Ellen Taylor is chair of the

REDC, and Shaun Kelley, of PNC Bank, is chair of the EDC. Taylor previously served as co-chair of the REDC. “We’ll go over what they do, and whether they are being used in the best way by the county,” Letourneau said. “A lot of this has been talked about informally, but I want to get that information and their ideas on the record.”

Also being invited is immediate past EDC chairman John Wood, who has also served on the Joint School Board/Board of Supervisors Committee, to discuss his ideas about where economic development should go in the county in a formal manner.

EDC

Outgoing EDC chairman John Wood and Paula Harper, of George Washington University, were both granted member emeritus one-year terms.

Members of the Executive Committee for 2012 are: Shaun Kelley, chairman; Harper, who heads the Education and Workforce Committee; Frank, who heads the Policy and Implementation Committee; Ted Lewis, who heads the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee; and Zigo, who leads the Marketing and Business Retention Committee.

While appointments to the EDC are generally without drama, this year’s was an exception. A clerical error caused Notaviva Vineyards owner Stephen Mackey’s name to be listed for reappointment to a new threeyear term. Supervisor Janet Clarke (R-Blue Ridge), at the board’s Jan. 3 meeting, gained the support of four other supervisors to not re-appoint Mackey. Clarke cited statements Mackey had made about the Town of Purcellville and said these actions were contrary to the image a representative of the county should project. A day after the successful vote to not appoint Mackey to the EDC, the clerical error was realized.

Mackey remains on the commission and his term does not expire until Dec. 31.

Continued From Page 3 Benjamin Leigh, an attorney with Atwill, Troxell & Leigh PC; Hobie Mitchell, of Lansdowne Development Group, who previously served as a Group C member; Rick Pearson, who previously served as a Group C member; and Keith Segerson, of the Mason Enterprise Center.

Norman Duncan was the only current Group C member nominated for re-appointment. New Group C members, who serve a one-year term, are Ted McLaughlin, of Navigation Arts; Todd Pearson, of BF Saul; Sharon Steele, of Mid-Atlantic Security and Training; and Sharon Virts-Mozer, of FCi Federal.

Group D members, who hold their appointments by virtue of the individual’s position at the community organization and have no voting rights, are Loudoun County Administrator Tim Hemstreet, Loudoun Small Business Development Center Executive Director Robin Suomi, Loudoun County Public Schools Superintendent Edgar Hatrick, Visit Loudoun President Greg Miller, Loudoun Chamber of Commerce President From water remediation and storm Tony Howard and Michelle Krocker, chairdamage restoration to complete of the Housing Advisory Board.

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Loudoun Business | PAGE 5

JANUARY 2012

Economic Development: It Takes A Village bench” of Loudoun business volunteers that could be called in for relatively brief periods of time to serve on an ad hoc task force to deal with whatever the issue is

A Business Perspective

2011 marked the end of my tenure as chairman of the Loudoun County Economic Development Commission. The EDC is a group of volunteers who are currently appointed by our Board of Supervisors to help form economic development policy for Loudoun County. The EDC works side by side with the Department of Economic Development, whose goal is to increase the commercial tax base and to promote the rural economy in Loudoun County.

I have enjoyed my involvement with the commission and Loudoun County over the last five years, and I know that under the leadership of Shaun Kelley, the EDC and Loudoun County will be well served.

Based on my time with the EDC, I have formed some opinions that I thought were important to share with my fellow commissioners as well as the Board of Supervisors, which I did before my term ended. I’ve outlined those thoughts and recommendations below.

The current EDC is made up of a diverse community of volunteer businesspeople, whose backgrounds range from real estate developers, to bankers, educators, small and large business owners, both from the suburban east and rural west—all honored to be a part of making Loudoun great. Some of the members’ skills are used extensively by the county, typically for issues around zoning and land use, in addition to some financing and marketing expertise. However, there has been a vast underutilization of members of the EDC to help retain existing businesses and/or find new businesses to come to Loudoun. That underutilization is partially due to the insufficient investment in business development resources; there are currently only 3.5 people allocated for business development in Loudoun County.

The question is, what can the EDC and the newly elected Board of Supervisors do about it? As outgoing chairman of EDC, I suggested two changes that the board should make as soon as practical: 1. Board directs the EDC to report to the County Administrator.

2. Board then directs the County Administrator and new chairman of the EDC (Shaun Kelley) to recommend a new structure to optimize economic development for Loudoun.

In particular, there should be review of the formation of an Economic Development Authority to focus on business retention and attraction, along with a review of the formation of Ad Hoc Economic Development Task Forces. The County Administrator could work with the business community (Loudoun Chamber, Visit Loudoun, etc.) to establish the “deep

By John Wood

at hand. Rather than having a large group (like the current EDC), ad hoc groups could be populated with “best of breed” participants on issues of importance to Loudoun. Not only would these ad hoc task forces make decision making more efficient, but they would also require a shorter time commitment. Currently, a seat on the EDC is a five-year commitment, which is a HUGE commitment for a business leader. A 40-60 day task-force commitment would be an easier commitment that more people could justify.

Regardless of whether Loudoun chooses to move forward with an EDA and/or the use of task forces, Loudoun County should increase the current business development investment from 3.5 people to at least double or triple that number. To put it into perspective, Dr. Gerry Gordon, president and CEO of the Economic Development Authority in Fairfax County, is utilizing between 25 and 30 people for business development in Fairfax.

If the current Board of Supervisors were to take these two steps and the County Administrator and chairman of the EDC were to reorganize somewhere along the lines outlined above, it would make a huge statement to the business community that Loudoun is open for business, and become a tangible example of Loudoun’s new Board of Supervisors governing and delegating authority versus the previous board’s micromanagement.

These steps would also empower the County Administrator and make him and

county staff more accountable for economic development.

Additionally, the EDC has been stymied by arcane aspects of the Freedom of Information Act and the sunshine rules, which were put in place to ensure that information from government meetings were made available to the public, and to make sure that these government entities were not being run in “backroom,” closed door meetings. I get that, because as I’ve said before, transparency is essential for government accountability. However, these rules also mandate that participants attend all meetings in person, not allowing for the use of teleconferencing, video conferencing or instant messaging or other Internet tools—all of which are linchpin tools within the business community. Members of the EDC (and for that matter, all volunteers that sit on the various commissions within Loudoun) are busy professionals, running from meeting to meeting, traveling across the country or overseas, or home sick with their children. By not allowing our meetings to be held, at the very least, telephonically, we are limiting participation of our members, thereby falling short of the EDC’s

maximum potential. By reporting to the County Administrator, and not the Board of Supervisors, the EDC would be able to use the same tools that we as business people count on to get our jobs done these days.

Lastly, I suggest that whatever form or structure is ultimately decided on, that we should all view economic development as an investment, not a cost. Why? Every dollar of commercial tax that comes in to Loudoun generates over a 90 percent profit for Loudoun County government. It uses that profit to help offset other costs like schools, fire departments, and police.

On the other hand, for every dollar of residential tax that gets collected, the county loses over $1.50.

An investment in economic development is not a cost… it is an avenue for lowering our individual taxes for residents of Loudoun County.

[John B. Wood is the CEO of Telos Corporation in Ashburn, founder of the CEO Cabinet and immediate past chairman of the county Economic Development Commission. Follow John on Twitter at twitter.com/john_b_wood.]

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PAGE 6 | Loudoun Business

In Brief • Twenty-one local Realtors have been elected to the Dulles Area Association of Realtors’ Board of Directors for 2012.

Tony Arko, of Ashburn's Complete Home, LLC, was installed as the 2012 DAAR chairman during the group’s holiday celebration. Other 2012 board officers are: Beckwith Bolle, chairman-elect, Carter Braxton, Leesburg; David Harbour, vice chair, Public Policy & Communications, eXp Realty, Leesburg; Shawn Milletary, vice chair, Membership Services, Century 21 Redwood, Ashburn; Melissa MacKimm, vice chair, Professional Development, RE/MAX Select Properties, Inc., Ashburn; Susan Smith, vice chair, Finance, Re/Max Premier, Ashburn; and Sue Puleo, ABR, immediate past chairman, Prudential Pen Fed Realty, Hamilton. Board members for 2012 are: Scott Buzzelli, Middleburg Real Estate, Middleburg; Brent Campbell, Loudoun Land Development, Hamilton; Karen Cooper, Century 21 Redwood Realty, Ashburn; Maurenn Dabkowski, Coldwell Banker Residential, Leesburg; Margaret Halseth, Long & Foster Real Estate Inc, Sterling; Brian Jarvis, Jarvis Appraisal Service, Purcellville; Alan Kroll, Re/Max Allegiance,

Ashburn; Jacqueline Lawlor-Campiti, Jack Lawlor Realty Co, Ashburn; Gina Parello Gina, RGS Title LLC, Sterling; Raymond Rees, Prudential Pen Fed Realty, Leesburg; Donna Sammarco, Coldwell Banker Residential, Leesburg; Ken Shall, First Financial Group, Reston; James Sonnhalter, Keller WilliamsLoudoun Gateway, Ashburn; and Nancy Yahner, Keller Williams-Loudoun Gateway, Ashburn.

• David Guernsey, owner and CEO of Dulles-based Guernsey Office Products, Inc., has been selected as the new board chairman of the National Federation of Independent Business. An NFIB member since 2007, Guernsey called his election as board chairman a “tremendous honor and privilege that comes with a pretty significant workload. “This is an exciting time to be an NFIB member,” Guernsey stated. “Our lawsuit seeking to overturn the unconstitutional and deeply-flawed health care law will be heard and decided by the United States Supreme Court in the spring, and the 2012 elections promise to be hugely significant for the small business community.

We expect NFIB members to be very active politically between now and November.”

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Guernsey began his office products business in 1971 and today employs 300 people.

He relocated the business headquarters to Loudoun County in early 2010. NFIB President and CEO Dan Danner called Guernsey “a terrific representative of our membership. He is a leader in his community, a job creator and someone who built his business from the ground up. He has a unique appreciation for NFIB’s mission and significance in both the current economic and political landscapes.”

• Middleburg’s Goodstone Inn and Restaurant has been named a winner of the 2011 OpenTable Diners’ Choice Awards as one of the best overall restaurants in the country. Winners were selected from among more than 10 million reviews by OpenTable diners from more than 12,000 restaurants. The Goodstone Inn and Restaurant is located on a 265-acre rural property north of Middleburg and features a French-American menu directed

by Executive Chef William Walden who brought his experience from L’Auberge Chez François in Great Falls, as well as managing his own restaurant, La Fleur De Lis, in Lovettsville, to the Goodstone Inn. Goodstone Inn was one of only six restaurants in Virginia to be selected for 2011 Open Table Diners’ Choice awards.

• A quote from Reston Limousine and Travel Service, Inc. President and CEO Kristina Bouweiri was chosen for publication in the 2012 Woman’s Advantage Shared Wisdom Calendar. Featuring influential and entrepreneurial women in business from across the United States and Canada, the unique calendar provides words of advice on key business issues, including management, marketing and human resources. Bouweiri’s quote, “Luck places opportunities in front of you; skill maximizes those opportunities,” was selected because “it is powerful, yet easy to understand...and is relevant to every woman in business today,” said Mary Cantando, founder of The Woman’s Advantage, a line of information products designed for women entrepreneurs.

• A Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority study found that the Oct. 22, 2011, re-enactment of the Battle of Ball’s Bluff brought in about $100,000 for the local economy. “Heritage tourism is such an important driver for visitation and Visit Loudoun is pleased to support events like the 150th Ball’s Bluff Re-enactment, not only for the immediate economic visitor spending impact, but also for the long term benefit allowing visitors to experience a unique Civil War legacy that only Loudoun County offers,” Patrick Kaler, president & CEO of Visit Loudoun, stated. Cate Magennis Wyatt, president of Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership, was thrilled that the re-enactment was able to bolster both interest in local history and the local economy.

“Heritage Tourism is the largest employ-

JANUARY 2012 er within the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area,” Wyatt said.

“Specifically, 54,000 jobs rely on visitors coming our way. The remarkable efforts of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, in partnership with the Loudoun 150th Commemoration Committee, has added over $100,000 to our local economy.

This is a wonderful example of how we can increase the quality of life for all, as we commemorate our shared heritage.”

• Leesburg resident Diana Wyker has joined CCS Mid-Atlantic as a sales representative. She will focus on audiovisual sales in the corporate and education sectors. Wyker has more than 15 years of sales experience with a focus on technology equipment. She most recently served as a sales associate at Akibia selling IT solutions software. Wyker’s sales skills consistently made her a top performing associate with a great client rapport.

• Virginia Tire & Auto has been named the winner of Tire Review magazine’s 20112012 “Top Shop in North America” Award.

Headquartered in Fairfax, with 11 retail locations throughout Northern Virginia, including three in Loudoun, Virginia Tire & Auto is family-owned and operated by Myron Boncarosky, his wife Carole, daughter Julie Holmes and her husband Mike Holmes. It has been in operation more than 35 years and employs almost 400 full- and part-time employees. Now in its fifth year, the Tire Review “Top Shop Award” honors the “best of the best” independent tire dealers in the United States and Canada. Judges selected 20 semifinalists from almost 100 entrants.

Eight semi-finalists were chosen for final judging by an independent panel of judges.

“This award is the most prestigious honor in our industry,” Myron Boncarosky stated.

“This recognition is a reflection of our commitment to providing our customers with an unbeatable destination for their automotive needs.” Virginia Tire & Auto has locations in Ashburn, South Riding and Sterling, as well as Centreville, Chantilly, Fairfax, Falls Church, Gainesville, Springfield and Vienna.

• Sandra Delano has joined Updegrove, Combs & McDaniel, PLC, as client support services coordinator. Delano will assist business clients with general bookkeeping, QuickBooks support and accounting process management and consulting. A resident of Winchester, she first obtained a bachelor’s degree in recreational therapy at East Carolina University and later went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Shenandoah University with a concentration in accounting. Prior to joining the Leesburg firm, she spent five years working for a large, multi-faceted organic farm as manager of their accounting department. She has also worked with a number of non-profit organizations over the past 10 years and was co-owner of New LifeStyles, LC, a post secondary program

Loudoun Business | PAGE 7

JANUARY 2012 for young adults with learning disabilities.

• Ashburn resident Chela Hardy completed training related to working with professional speakers through a program created by renowned publishing strategist Jan King. As a graduating participant of the program, Hardy has received a certification as a virtual speaker’s assistant. She completed the virtual author’s assistant certification in March 2010. Together, these achievements allow her to continue helping speakers and authors around the country.

“I worked as an administrative employee for over 20 years,” Hardy stated. “But now, as an administrative business owner, I’ve found a niche market in working with speakers and authors, so it made sense to find training specific to their industries. Since the classes, I’ve learned to do things in ways that are more productive to both me and my clients, which helps me to assist them with the growth of their businesses. It also helps me keep their offices running smoothly as they focus on their speaking engagements and personal appearances.” Hardy owns Agenda Administrative Services, a virtual assistance firm that provides administrative support to professional speakers, authors, and small business owners.

• Nader Mehravari has been named the executive vice president for resiliency at Ashburn-based IT Cadre. Mehravari is a recognized expert and certified practitioner in business resiliency, continuity of operations, disaster recovery, preparedness planning and operational risk management. His resiliency, expertise and experience has been recognized by the Disaster Recovery Institute International and the Business Continuity Institute at MBCP and MBCI grades, respectively. Prior to joining IT Cadre in March 2011, Mehravari was the director of Business Resiliency at the Lockheed Martin Corporation. In that capacity, he oversaw preparedness planning and associated governance and compliance activities for the entire corporation.

IT Cadre’s Resiliency Practice will enable organizations to identify and mitigate risks that can lead to disruptions and outages;

prepare for and respond to events in a manner that demonstrates command and control; and following an incident, recover and restore critical operations within an acceptable time frame. IT Cadre will help organizations improve their resiliency posture through process improvement and unification, standardization, technology infusion, automation and training. “Given the extreme complexity of today’s business processes and the instability of the economy, weather, social and political situations and other events, a unified approach to preparedness planning is crucial to an organizations long term viability. Our team can help customers improve their operational resilience while balancing affordability and risk,” Mehravari stated.

• Sterling chiropractor Dr. Scott Cypher has been reappointed to the American Chiropractic Association’s PR and Marketing Committee. Cypher has been an active member of the committee since 2008.

The committee, which consists of 14 doctors of chiropractic from across the country, works closely with ACA staff to support the association’s public relations and marketing initiatives. “Dr. Cypher’s energy and enthusiasm for communicating the benefits of chiropractic care to the public make him a tremendous asset to this committee,” ACA President Keith Overland, DC, stated. “I am grateful that he is willing and able to perform this service to the chiropractic profession, and it is my pleasure to appoint him to serve on the committee for another year.”

A 1984 graduate of National University of Health Sciences in Lombard, IL, Dr. Cypher also currently serves the Sterling community in private practice. He has been an active member of ACA since 1985. “I have dedicated my career to helping patients by using the natural, drug-free, non-invasive approach to good health offered by chiropractic care,” Dr. Cypher stated. “Working to inform the public about that approach is an important part of my personal and profession mission.”

• Sterling’s DryHome Roofing & Siding awarded a Loudoun native and school

Telos Grant Aids Reading Program Ashburn’s Telos Corporation made a $10,000 donation to All Ages Read Together.

The Loudoun-based nonprofit provides low- to moderate-income preschool age children with free one-on-one reading and school readiness programs in Loudoun and Fairfax counties. AART President Sandra Shihadeh said Telos’ gift would allow AART to continue expansion efforts already underway. “This donation will enable us to prepare more disadvantaged children for future success in school and for each child who completes our program successfully, AART saves the local school systems thousands of dollars in future remediation costs,” Shihadeh said in a statement. John Wood, chairman and CEO of Telos, said his choice of where to dedicate the grant money was easy—the company has supported AART since its inception. “Along with preparing young children for a successful entry into school, I am impressed with AART’s ability to mobilize an aspect of our workforce that is underutilized—the retired community.

Through All Ages Read Together, retired individuals have the opportunity to create lasting relationships with underserved children, all while providing them with the foundation needed for long-term success in school. It is a win-win situation,” he stated.

bus driver a free roof. Leesburg resident Barbara Green is the recipient of DryHome’s ninth annual Free Roof for the Holidays program. Green was nominated by her daughter and many friends. A recent widow, Green has had a difficult few years.

Her husband passed away in October after a five-year battle with lung cancer, which exhausted their financial resources. At the onset of his illness Green’s husband lost his job of 32 years after his employer went out of business, leaving him with no benefits or retirement. In addition, Green is recovering from hip replacement surgery and had to attend her husband’s funeral in a wheelchair. In spite of her ailments, she has continued working as a school bus driver for

Loudoun County Public Schools, a position she has held for more then 35 years. Green received a total of 20 nominations for the free roof. Daughter Kelly Wing noted that her mother and father had “never asked for a hand out during their 46 years of marriage” but Barbara Green was forced to use her savings to pay for her father’s funeral expenses. Others who nominated Green cited her devotion to the community, her sincerity and down-to-earth nature. The annual giveaway has been a popular and inspirational one for the entire DryHome team. This year, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the program, the company plans to give away two free roofs.

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PAGE 8 | Loudoun Business

JANUARY 2012

Purcellville Broker Expands National Reach With Franchise

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Loudoun real estate veteran Carl Fischer, the owner-broker of All The Best Real Estate in Purcellville, is expanding with a new company, United Country Northern Virginia.

For the longtime Realtor—23 years in the business, mostly with REMAX but for the past decade as an independent broker—his decision to morph his former company into a franchise of the national firm United Country Real Estate was a logical step.

Fischer said he made the plunge after months of research and strategic re-thinking. “For the past two years I’ve been an avid student of what the industry is doing, and I came to the conclusion the online [marketing] side had to be dramatically better for me,” he said in a recent interview. After pondering where the industry is headed as the housing market continues to stagnate after the peak years in 2006 and 2007, Fischer said he realized it was time to make changes in his business.

“We all have the ability to put a sign in a seller’s front yard and wait for the phone to ring; we all have the ability to do local media ads or in real estate publications,” Fischer said.

But his clients come from all over the country and even abroad, so Fischer invested significantly in web designers to reach the buyers he needed. “But the money was going out, and the results were not coming in,” he said.

He was considering what he needed to do to increase his market reach when a friend from Wisconsin called him three months ago. She had started as a local independent agent, then decided to go with national firm REMAX. In the course of trying for some time as a licensed REMAX agent to market a property several hours away from her base of operations, she told him United Country in 45 days sold and closed that same property.

That started him on a journey to learn more about the company. What’s different about United Country, Fischer said, is its longevity in the market—86 years—and its ranking as one of most progressive real estate marketing companies in the country.

Fischer was impressed with what he found. “They made a living selling nothing properties in nothing areas, through the far west, mid-west and southwest.”

The company classified properties in more than 20 categories—such as timber, oil or gas, ranch, waterfront, hunting or trophy house.

“It’s really a marketing company focused on real estate,” Fischer said. He spent two days at United Country’s corporate headquarters in Kansas City, KS, where

he met and was impressed by company personnel, particularly brothers Dan and Mike Duffy, president and CEO, and vice president of marketing and sales, respectively.

“They’re two very bright and committed guys with a long history in merchandising, and they’ve seen every major way to market and sell product,” Fischer said.

The Duffys bought United Country Real Estate six years ago. What’s impressive, Fischer said, is that many of their staff members have been there a long time—one for 46 years and a number for 35 years—as well as a “bunch of bright young people.”

The decision to abandon his independent status and join United Country was relatively simple, Fischer said, as it basically meant “I’ll be doing what I’ve done before.”

But the benefits to his business, he hopes, will be significant. “I’m trying to represent sellers who need the most money they can get for their properties, but they need to be assured of getting out to a wide market.”

And that’s what he expects to get from coming under the United Country umbrella.

“They do a lot of things differently,” including advertising constantly in 300 national magazines and maintaining a sophisticated call center where staffers direct callers to a specific solution for their query. The company owns and operates 1,500 websites that are positioned to respond to all the queries Google generates.

And, he said, the websites have much more information than others in the industry. “You can ask for, say, a ‘golf course home with a cave,’” Fischer said. Or, if you want a tidal wetlands property for retirement, but don’t know where it is, you can say ‘tidal wetlands, residence’ and narrow the search down from there. The way the website database is structured, the company can show every property containing those features.

Two major points stood out for Fischer in making his decision to join United Country: exposure for his clients and a huge amount of varied and sophisticated information.

“They keep those leads and parcel them out to brokers like me.” Fischer also will be able to market and sell an owner’s business and his real estate through United Country’s auctioneers. Currently, United Country has the second largest auction company in the country.

“I’m busier right now than I have been for years, including 2006 and 2007,” he said of his early experience in the new venture.

Fischer markets residential, investment and commercial property in Loudoun and the Northern Neck. For information, visit the website at www.uc-nova.com.

Loudoun Business | PAGE 9

JANUARY 2012

Dulles

Continued From Page 1 current operational cost for cargo handling is 35 percent lower than JFK International Airport in New York, with an average cost per metric tonne of $167, compared to $258 at JFK. The Dulles Airport catchment area also covers 25 states and Canada with next-day service, catching approximately 56 percent of the U.S. population.

In other good news for the airport, Browne reported that Dulles has the lowest average taxi delays and second lowest weather delays on the East Coast. Dulles recorded 946 delays caused by weather last year; compare that with 26,088 at Chicago O’Hare Airport. The airport also boasts the lowest fuel costs on the East Coast and the most robust and reliable fuel supply in its fuel farm.

Following its anticipated debut in 2010, Browne reported that the AeroTrain automated people mover is running smoothly, with more than 99.5 percent availability during 2011.

The phase three expansion of the International Arrivals Building recently wrapped up. It adds 204,000 square feet to the existing building’s footprint, including 101,000 square feet to the existing arrivals hall area and 93,000 square feet to the baggage basement. A phase four “lite” project is anticipated for the future and will renovate the baggage re-check area; improve passenger flow into the meeter/greeter area; widen the exit corridor; expand Customs & Border Protection’s secondary screening area; and improve lighting and finishes. The work completed at the IAB so far, Browne said, has effectively doubled it

in size, increasing the number of primary inspection booths to 50 and decreasing passenger wait times.

The In-Line Explosive Detection System baggage screening operation was expected to begin a 30-day run test shortly before the end of 2011. The EDS operation in the south baggage basement is the first of three projects that relocates existing baggage screening equipment from the terminal lobby to the basements. The system is expected to be operational late this month or early February.

Several improvements have also been made to Concourse C/D. These include: new ramp lighting; rooftop unit replacement; public address system upgrades; and gate podium and backstop removal/ replacement.

On the economic side, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority CEO Jack Potter, in addressing the Dulles Chamber in January, noted that Dulles Airport alone generates more than $10 billion in economic activity for the state of Virginia. Hopes are that impact will grow with the arrival of a Metrorail extension to the airport in Phase 2 of the Silver Line project. While that project still has many obstacles to climb—following a year that saw upheaval over MWAA’s initial decision to support a costlier, underground Metro station and supporting a Project Labor Agreement for Phase 2 construction—Loudoun County officials will soon have their chance to

Canadian Airline Coming To Dulles Porter Airlines is arriving at Dulles Airport April 16. It will be the Canadian carrier’s sixth U.S. destination with up to three daily roundtrip flights operating between Dulles and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

“Greater Washington is a region that our passengers have told us is their number one priority for new Porter service,” Robert Deluce, president and CEO of Porter Airlines, stated. “We expect great interest for both business and leisure trips and look forward to bringing competition to the route.”

Porter is known for its exceptional customer service and offering a premium experience at affordable prices. Lounge access in select airports, coffee bars, wine and beer onboard, and extra legroom are just part of the experience that is complimentary for all passengers.

Jack Potter, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports review the project. A 90-day review period is expected to commence in late winter.

Looking forward in 2012, Browne said the airport staff would be keeping their key on domestic travel trends at Dulles, as well as the impact on capacity and service

of the United-Continental merger. Browne said other key questions remain about the impact of economic improvement on cargo service, as well as how economic uncertainty in the Middle East and Europe will affect international travel at Dulles.

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Leesburg

Continued From Page 1 port staff members with a mechanism for removing disabled or derelict aircraft; provide permits on a temporary basis for visiting businesses to the airport, such as mechanics; and clarifies the definition of a fixed-base operator.

Another change coming for the airport is how its budget is managed. During the FY12 budget deliberations, it was revealed that the airport’s revenues were not keeping up with its expenditures, most notably because of non-cash depreciation, and General Fund transfers were necessary to cover some expenses. Town Manager John Wells told the council that the airport will be removed from its enterprise fund status, which made it a separate fund in the town budget, and instead be integrated in with the General Fund. This should have a positive financial impact on the overall town, he said, while not affecting the airport’s ability to apply for grants.

Authority, said, “We are looking forward to welcoming Porter Airlines to our family of airlines providing extensive international service to the Greater Washington Metropolitan Region. Porter will provide new convenient service to downtown Toronto and throughout Canada for our region. Dulles International Airport is the international gateway not only to Washington, but also to a significant part of the eastern seaboard, and this new air service from this leading Canadian business destination will be a great addition.”

Porter Airlines was founded in 2006 as a short-haul airline and serves several routes throughout Canada. In addition to Dulles, its U.S. destinations include Chicago Midway, Logan Airport in Boston, MA, Newark Airport in New Jersey, and seasonal flights to Burlington, VT, and Myrtle Beach, SC.

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PAGE 10 | Loudoun Business

JANUARY 2012

Market Today

Salamander

water penetration last fall into the building.

After forensic study and consultation with the general contractor and architect, the problem appeared to lie with the subconto close shortly.

T R E N D S , P R O F I L E S A N D F E AT U R E S I N

Asked whether progress on Salamander tractor for the all-custom windows.

“Once we’d all agreed what the problem is contingent on the cash of the new inves- tor, Devadas said, “Yes, to the extent the was and whose fault it was, then the subcontractor filed for bankruptcy,” Devadas investment will defray some of the risk.”

The financial company has become said. Salamander has rebid the project. involved because of its interest in the com- Every single window has to be taken out By Rosemary deButts, Contributing Writer mercial and residential real estate compo- and all the work redone, he said, noting nent of Salamander, Devadas said. “They’re the new windows are being manufactured. There was much to rave about in The replacement work should take approxi- Loudoun County residential real estate already talking to Realtors in the area.”

Under the deal, Junius isn’t expected mately five months, and Devadas said it prices in 2011. The annual median sales to push on that front until after the resort is hoped to start the interior finishes next prices reached its highest level since 2007 last year at $378,000, representing a 4.8 peris up. “That will allow us to develop in the spring.

During the economic downturn, the cent increase over the 2010 median. This, right way,” Devadas said.

“When we open, there will be a lot company has not stood idle, as it has despite a steady decline in sales volume over of pent up demand for what’s new in the turned to golf course hotels and resort man- the last six years. During 2010, Loudoun’s existing home luxury market—there’s been nothing new agement in other markets. “The company is sales volcoming out over the past two to three growing,” Devadas said, citing its manageume totaled years,” Devadas told the council, adding ment of six luxury resorts in Florida and the 4,992 units. once the deal with Junius is closed, “we will Caribbean, and giving Johnson kudos for Preliminar y remobilize the project right away, and hope “the traction.” results indi And Salamander, he assured town leadto complete it by the end of [next] year.” cate that The current timeline envisions sub- ers, would always be the “flagship” of the home sales stantial completion by January 2013, with company. “We’ve grown very quickly,” he declined 4.7 said, listing a number of top management the formal opening in April. percent in After a hiatus for two years while work staffers added to the company.

2011 to 4,768 stopped on the building, construction Mayor Betsy Davis welcomed the units. (Please started earlier this year on completing the update. “It is very exciting.” She noted it remember interior, but ran into trouble. The one “com- was important for Devadas to provide a that the 2010 plicating problem we’ve had to deal with is public report because of numerous rumors market was the windows,” Devadas said. Crews noticed swirling around town. artificially stimulated by the First Time Home Buyer’s Credit program.)

A Ministry of Cornerstone Chapel The county is typically divided into three submarkets, eastern Loudoun, A Ministry of Cornerstone Chapel Leesburg and western Loudoun. Sales in Leesburg and western Loudoun County were essentially flat in 2011 compared Ministry of Cornerstone Chapel AAA Ministry Cornerstone Chapel Ministry of Cornerstone Chapel to 2010. The story was different though A Ministry of Cornerstone Chapel in eastern Loudoun. Sales there declined almost 7 percent from 2010 to 2011, which accounts for the decline county-wide since A Ministry of Cornerstone Chapel the majority of home sales typically occur A Ministry of Cornerstone Chapel in the eastern portion of the county. This decline is almost surely due, at least in part, to a lack of available supply. It is evident that supply and demand factors were at play in eastern Loudoun last year though.

Continued From Page 3

R E S I D E N T I A L R E A L E S TAT E

Recapping 2011

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Although sales declined, it had the highest percentage increase in its median sales price ($367,590, up 4.5 percent). Leesburg’s median gained 3.6 percent to $388,000 and the median in western Loudoun increased 1.1 percent in 2011 to reach $405,206.

The share of distressed sales in Loudoun County fell below 25 percent for six consecutive months in 2011. Compare that with May 2009, when the share of total distressed sales amounted to 47 percent in Loudoun County.

The share of monthly Loudoun County sales that were distressed fell to a low point of 20 percent in July 2011. However, it has trended up since then to end the year at 26 percent.

About 28 percent of eastern Loudoun’s annual sales were distressed in 2011.

Roughly 27 percent of the sales in both Leesburg and western Loudoun were distressed in 2011.

At least five subdivisions were plagued by a share of distressed sales exceeding 60 percent of 2011 total sales: Parkside at Dulles (77 percent); Hirst Farm (67 percent); Pembrooke (63 percent); Providence Village (63 percent); and Fox Chapel (61 percent). Conspicuously absent from this list was Sterling Park, the perennial leader.

It ended 2011 with a share of distressed sales at only 43 percent.

[Rosemary deButts is a Realtor associated with Atoka Properties in Purcellville. She is certified by the National Association of Realtors as a Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource and is a Member, Institute of Residential Marketing (MIRM) from the National Association of Home Builders. Visit her website, www.housinganalyst.net, for more facts and figures.]

Hometown Heroes Who is your hero? Loudoun Magazine is starting the new year by celebrating Loudoun residents who have demonstrated exceptional acts of courage, selflessness or philanthropy. Those who are chosen will be profiled in a “Hometown Heroes” feature in an upcoming issue of the magazine.

You can submit your nomination for Loudoun Magazine’s Hometown Heroes by providing the following information: Please send your submissions to 1. Your Name editor@leesburgtoday.com 2. Your Telephone/Cell* 3. Your Email* Submission deadline is 5 p.m. Jan. 20.

4. Nominee’s Name 5. Why he or she is a Hometown Hero * We may be contacting you for further information (please be as detailed as possible) about your nomination.

Loudoun Business | PAGE 11

JANUARY 2012

■ Business Calendar

registration fee is $10 or $15 at the door. To register, visit www.loudounsbdc.org.

Jan. 17

Jan. 20

Jan. 27

Grow Your Business

Art As A Business

Loudoun Chamber of Commerce 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Chamber offices, 19301 Winmeade Drive #210, Lansdowne “Options and Strategies for Small Business Health Insurance” will be the monthly topic in a series that gets attendees up close and personal with experts in different business fields. Each luncheon in the Grow Your Business series features a prepared presentation followed by an extensive Q&A session. Lunch is provided.

Cost for the event is $10 for Chamber members and $15 for non-members and walk-ins.

To register, visit www.loudounchamber.org.

Jan. 18 Elevate America for Veterans Info Session

10 a.m. to noon, Loudoun Workforce Resource Center, 102 Heritage Way NE, Leesburg The Loudoun Workforce Resource Center, in cooperation with the Microsoft Corporation and SkillSource Group, is offering free IT training and certification exams for post-9/11 era veterans and their eligible spouses. The program is part of the Northern Virginia Elevate America for Veterans Initiative to help eligible participants build the skills employers are seeking.

In addition to Jan. 18, an additional information session is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 24, also from 10 a.m. to noon. To register for one of the sessions or for more information, call the WRC at 703-777-0150.

Middleburg Women

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Briar Patch Bed and Breakfast, 23130 Briar Patch Lane, Middleburg Angie Goff, news anchor and reporter for NBC4, will be the guest speaker at the monthly networking luncheon. Networking will begin at 11:30 a.m., with the speaker and a Q&A session beginning at noon, followed by lunch and door prizes. For registration and pricing information, visit www. middleburgwomen.com.

Jan. 19 After Hours Mixer

Loudoun Chamber of Commerce 5:30 to 7 p.m., Velocity Five Sports Restaurant, 19286 Promenade Drive, Lansdowne Join Chamber members, board members and new members as they power network around fine catering and tasty beverages. Pre-registration fee is $15 for Chamber members and guests or $20 at the door. To register, visit www.loudounchamber.org.

Loudoun Small Business Development Center & Town of Leesburg 8 to 10 a.m., Mason Enterprise Center Leesburg, 202 Church Street SE, First Floor Training Room, Leesburg Marc Willson, retail consultant for the Virginia SBDC, will share in this seminar how to sell your art without selling your soul; define and engage your collector; master merchandizing basics; market and advertise your artwork; build your brand; create a social media presence; and embrace and understand the business side of selling your art. Seminar attendees who live in and/or base their business in Loudoun County may also sign up to meet with Willson following the seminar for a one-on-one consultation in the attendee’s store or gallery. Call the Loudoun SBDC at 703-430-7222 to schedule one of the limited number of consultations. Pre-registration fee for the seminar is $25 or $30 at the door. For this seminar only, attendees from the same business or immediate family as a paid registrant may attend free of charge. To register, visit www. loudounsbdc.org.

Jan. 26 Annual Meeting

Loudoun Chamber of Commerce 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., The National Conference Center, 18980 Upper Belmont Place, Lansdowne Join the Loudoun County business community at the 2012 Annual Meeting, where U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA-10) will be the guest speaker. In addition, the annual meeting will feature the transfer of the Leadership Gavel from 2011 Chairman of the Board Thomas Moler of Yount Hyde & Barbour, P.C., to incoming Chairman Kurt Krause of The National Conference Center, as well as the administration of the Oath of Office to members of the 2012 Loudoun County Chamber Board of Directors. Preregistration fee is $65 for Chamber members and $90 for non-members; price increases by $10 at the door. To register, visit www. loudounchamber.org.

Start Your Business

Loudoun Small Business Development Center 6 to 8:30 p.m., Comfort Suites, 80 Prosperity Avenue, Leesburg SBDC Business Counselor Ruth Cope and Art Thompson, principal with Keyser Thompson Insurance Agency, Inc., provide attendees with the basics of starting a business. Highlights of the seminar include: taxes and licensing; business plan development; sources of financing; marketing; insurance; and entrepreneurial traits. Pre-

Bank Loans Simplified

8 to 10 a.m., Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building, 21000 Education Court, Ashburn A panel of experts will explain what bankers are looking for in a loan package; the resources that are available to businesses; and current lending requirements. From 10-11 a.m. attendees can network and speak directly with bankers, the Small Business Administration, the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority and the Loudoun Small Business Development Center. The seminar is free, but registration is required. Space is limited, so secure your seat at www. loudounsbdc.org. On-site registration and check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. Coffee and a light breakfast will be served.

Feb. 1 GovCONnection Luncheon

Dulles Chamber of Commerce 11:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Crowne Plaza Washington Dulles Airport, 2200 Centreville Road, Herndon Join senior executives from the top prime government contractors as they engage in a timely and insightful look at what we can expect in 2012 from the industry and its players. Hosted and moderated

by Stan Z. Soloway, president and CEO of the Professional Services Council, panelists include: Larry Duncan, vice president of government relations for Lockheed Martin; Sid Ashworth, vice president of government relations for Northrop Grumman; and Mark Esper, vice president of government relations for Raytheon. Cost for the luncheon is $45 for Dulles Chamber members and $60 for prospective members. To register, visit www.dulleschamber.org.

Feb. 2 Sterling Women

11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., The National Conference Center, 18980 Upper Belmont Place, Lansdowne Jan Fox, a four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, serves as the speaker for the networking group’s monthly luncheon.

For pricing and registration information, visit www.sterlingwomen.org.

Feb. 9 Business Showcase Breakfast

Loudoun Chamber of Commerce 7:30 to 9 a.m., Belmont Country Club, 43750 Tournament Parkway, Ashburn Join almost 150 Chamber members, new and old, at this monthly, signature roundtable networking breakfast. Early registrants will have their name and company

information displayed on the members-only attendee list. Fee for the breakfast is $25 for Chamber members and $35 for non-members. To register, visit www.loudounchamber.org.

Small Biz Discussions Kick Off Jan. 27 The county’s Department of Economic Development, along with the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Leesburg, the Mason Enterprise Center and the Loudoun Small Business Development Center will sponsor a series of panel discussions aimed at helping Loudoun’s small businesses find the money they need to be successful.

The series kicks off Friday, Jan. 27, with a panel discussion from 8-10 a.m. and a Networking and Resource Exhibition from 10-11 a.m.

The series, “Funding Your Business Growth: Bank Loans Simplified,” is designed to bridge “the information gap” between bankers who want to make loans and businesses that need loans. The panels will address questions such as, “What are bankers looking for in loan packages?” “What resources are available?” and “What are current lending requirements?” After the panels, attendees can speak directly with bankers, the Small Business Administration, the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority and the Small Business Development Center.

The program is free, but pre-registration is required. Space is limited, so interested business owners are encouraged to register as soon as possible at http://loudounsbdc.eventbrite.com. The event will be held at the Loudoun County Public Schools administration building, located at 21000 Education Ct. off Broadlands Boulevard in Ashburn.

To learn more about the resources available in Loudoun that could benefit small businesses, contact Deborah Roder at 703-777-0426 or deborah.roder@loudoun.gov.

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JANUARY 2012

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