June 14 chamber program on “Understanding the New Northern Va. Economy”

On Tuesday, June 14 from 7:30-10:30 a.m. the Prince William Chamber of Commerce will present, Understanding the New Northern Virginia Economy, a follow-up to the chamber’s 2015 panel discussion on Building the New Northern Virginia Economy where emerging industry sectors were discussed as alternatives to dependence on federal contracting.

Business leaders in real estate, commercial development and the sciences together with economic development professionals from across Northern Virginia are invited to the breakfast event, hosted by George Mason University’s Science and Technology Campus at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Prince William County.

The event kicks off with breakfast and networking and will conclude with a series of presentations outlining how Prince William County and the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park can both capture the attention of emerging industry sectors and lead the way in promoting economic growth as the Commonwealth continues to see its economy become less and less dependent on federal sector jobs.

Bob Buchanan, a partner with Buchanan Partners real estate development firm, will serve as Master of Ceremonies.

Bob Buchanan is a third generation builder and developer involved in office, retail, flex/industrial, residential, and large mixed-use planned communities. He and his partners have focused their efforts heavily in the Prince William area over the last decade and he is known for advocating on the potential that Prince William County and the Cities of Manassas Park hold for expanding and innovative businesses.

Buchanan is also the President of the 2030 Group, a regional group of community-involved business leaders initiating research and analysis to better understand the growth trends affecting the Washington metropolitan area and to work toward a more sustainable future.

Opening the program will be Keynote Speaker Dr. Terry Clower, Director of the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University, who will present a targeted analysis of how the Prince William region’s efforts in economic development stack up against the rest of the region.

He will also provide projections on where Chamber members and local municipalities should be concentrating efforts for maximum effectiveness.

Following Dr. Clower’s presentation, attendees will hear from the Directors of local economic development departments: Jeff Kaczmarek, Prince William County; Patrick Small, City of Manassas; and Ryan Gandy, City of Manassas Park.

The directors will present on industry sectors where they are focusing their efforts, the challenges they face and how the business community can help them achieve success. Closing out the program will be time allotted for questions from the audience.

“When the U.S. Department of Commerce released numbers for economic growth in June of 2015, statistics showed that the Commonwealth of Virginia posted 0.0% economic growth,” says Prince William Chamber of Commerce Chairwoman Dalena Kanouse.

Kanouse is also President and CEO of a defense contracting firm, MTCI-Management & Training Consultants, Inc. Her company has been working for two-plus years to shift revenues from a sole reliance on Department of Defense contracts to providing like services in the private sector.

“Only Alaska and Mississippi posted lower numbers, seeing an actual decrease in economic growth. Those numbers confirm what the Prince William Chamber has known for years: while the private sector job market is growing steadily, federal contracting has been declining just as steadily, if not more so. As an organization we have been working steadily to help our member businesses shift their focus. Understanding the New Northern Virginia Economy is slated to be another huge step in that direction.”

“When business leaders come to Understanding the New Northern Virginia Economy, they should be prepared to walk away with a greater understanding of the importance of local economic development efforts, ” Prince William Chamber President & CEO Debbie Jones was quoted as saying in a press release.

“It is absolutely critical that the entire business community ‘catch the vision’ of each municipality and fully grasp how they can work side by side with local government to give our region a unique position in the economy of Northern Virginia. The growth potential of our local economy is directly tied to the engagement level of our local business community.”

Tickets to Understanding the New Northern Virginia Economy are $65 for members of the Prince William Chamber of Commerce and $80 for non-members. Registration is available online at PWchamber.org or by calling 703-368-6600.

The Hylton Performing Arts Center is located at 10960 George Mason Circle; Manassas, VA 20110. Event sponsors to date include Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative; R.W. Murray Company; Finley Asphalt & Sealing, Inc.; Potomac Shores, Rinker Design Associates and Buchanan Partners. Additional sponsor options are available. Contact Mary Leslie with the Prince William Chamber of Commerce for details at 571-765-7569 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).