Loudoun County EDC Transitions New Leadership & New Members for 2012

This week's first meeting of 2012 for the Loudoun County Economic Development Commission featured installation of new members and transition to new leadership - from John Wood (CEO of Telos Corporation) to Shaun Kelley (Senior VP, PNC Financial Services Group).

New "Group B" Commissioners (3 year term) included Christopher Charron (CEO/Owner, Charron Construction Consulting, Inc.), Benjamin Leigh, Esq. (Partner, Atwell, Troxell & Leigh PC) and Keith Segerson (Associate VP for Economic Development & Executive Director, The Mason Enterprise Center (MEC)) .

New "Group C" Advisory Commissioners (1 year term) included Sharon Virts-Mozer (Owner and President, FCi Federal), Todd Pearson (VP of Acquisitions & Development, B.F. Saul Company), Sharon Steele, Esq. (General Counsel, Mid-Atlantic Security & Training LLC) and Ted McLaughlan (Homeland Security IT Consultant; Co-Owner and CTO, KME Internet Marketing).

One new member was appointed this week to the Rural Economic Development Commission (REDC) - Jean Brown (Bed & Breakfast Industry), Owner of The Oakland Green B&B, and member of the Historic District Review Committee among other local organizations.

Several New Year themes emerged from the meeting agenda and discussion, solidly in support of the "Loudoun is Open for Business" tagline. Scott York (Loudoun BOS Chairman, among several Loudoun Supervisors present) reiterated the focus of the new board on Loudoun's economic development priorities, among which included significant attention to Dulles Airport access from the Rt. 50/28 corridor in the Dulles South region, as well as a southern airport access route. Ken Reid (Leesburg District Supervisor) reiterated the "Live, Work, Play" tagline reflecting support for establishment of a County Arts & Cultural District to compliment and support the Leesburg Arts & Cultural District. The reported objectives and status from individual committees reflected continuing support for small business assistance, Dulles Metro to Loudoun, and continued growth of the Data Center industry segment.

A particularly interesting topic was raised - that of exploring ways in which the community of business leaders participating in the EDC could develop, support and possibly assist in developing finance strategies for Loudoun-wide economic development objectives - via a non-governmental organization construct different from that of the current EDC. One potential tool that could therefore be more appropriately, widely and successfully leveraged would be digital social media and other online assets of local businesses - this concept having been surfaced in early 2010 here in this blog.

We'll note that significant additional opportunity for online, transparent dialogue and information or idea-sharing about these topics, can be very effectively conducted via the public Loudoun Business social media group on LinkedIn (among others). This type of online dialogue works better, in our opinion, than trying to engage in discussion via blog comments. Join us there!

The next EDC meeting is the first Friday of February - all meetings are open to the public, as are sub-committee meetings...this year would be an especially good year for businesses and Loudoun residents interested in supporting the renewing economic development and growth of the County to attend and support EDC events and activities.