Candidate Forum for Town of Herndon Election This Weekend — Candidates for the mayoral and council elections will take part in a panel moderated by Brian Tumulty, who covers finances and taxes for The Bond Buyer. The event is hosted by the Dulles Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 27 at 4 p.m. [Dulles Chamber of Commerce]
County Grant Programs Expands Eligibility Criteria — “Expanded business sectors are now eligible to apply, including small hotels and bed and breakfast lodging facilities, along with film industry companies supporting production in the commonwealth.” [Fairfax County Government]
Virtual Career Fair Set for Oct. 8 — “The Hiring + Reskilling Virtual Career Fair will welcome job seekers of all backgrounds, especially those unemployed due to COVID-19. The open positions will span a variety of industries, and not all require a college degree. Open positions include store clerks, construction laborers, security guards, program managers, information security analysts, and more.” [Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
To attract talent to the Northern Virginia area, the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority is hosting a workshop for regional companies.
The online Talent Attraction Workshop: Marketing Northern Virginia will take place Tuesday (Sept. 15) from 11 a.m.- 12 p.m. and help employers understand what draws people to the area and how to recruit talented individuals, according to a press release.
There are roughly 80,000 currently untilled positions in the region, the website said.
“The workshop will also reveal top findings from talent perception research commissioned by the FCEDA, as well as findings from a national survey of 1,600+ people recently conducted by Development Counsellors International (DCI) — the leader in marketing places,” the press release said.
For those who are interested, the event will also include an introduction to an online hub for talent to learn about career opportunities and relocation information.
“The hub includes a job board with 90,000+ active listings in Northern Virginia, upskilling and training resources, a cost of living calculator, a community finder quiz and more.”
Potential attendees can register for the Zoom session online.
Photo by Bruce Mars/Unsplash
Speech and Language Program Pivots to Teletherapy Sessions — “By switching to teletherapy sessions and using clear reusable face masks, the Health Department’s Speech and Language Program has been able to continue to provide its critical early-intervention services to children during the COVID-19 pandemic.” [Fairfax County Government]
Local Discussion on Access to Capital for Minority-owned Businesses — “Minority entrepreneurs face challenges in accessing capital to start, grow and sustain businesses, and that problem has worsened during the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.” [Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]
Nearby: Homicide Suspect Extracted from El Salvador — “Adonay Polanco Cabrera, 25, formerly of Culmore, arrived in Fairfax County on Aug. 18 after being extradited from El Salvador with the assistance of several federal law enforcement partners to include the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Marshals Service.” [Fairfax County Police Department]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Volunteers Needed at Fellowship Square — The Reston and Lake Anne location need volunteers who can call seniors and deliver food to senior apartments. Sign up is available online. [Fellowship Square]
Hoskins Reflects on Year One — “Victor Hoskins took the helm of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) on August 5, 2019, after leading economic development in Arlington County for almost five years and winning the biggest economic-development competition in history: Amazon’s second headquarters, aka HQ2.” [Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]
Sales Tax Holiday Returns — The three-day holiday starts today and ends on Sunday. Residents can buy qualifying supplies, clothing, footwear, emergency preparedness items and Energy Star products without paying sales tax. [Virginia State Government]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Several local companies are among the 15 tech employers listed for an upcoming virtual job hosted by the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority.
The fair is targeted to mid-career tech professionals, especially ones with security clearances, and the companies represented will have a total of 3,000 open jobs in the Northern Virginia region, according to FCEDA.
“While the fair is primarily for those in tech fields including data science, software engineering, IT, cybersecurity, defense and aerospace, some companies are featuring non-tech positions such as marketing, sales, finance, human resources and legal,” according to FCEDA.
Companies signed up for the fair include:
- Microsoft, Reston
- Amazon Web Services, Arlington
- AppGuard Inc., Chantilly
- CGI, Fairfax
- Customer Value Partners, Fairfax
- Expedition Technology, Herndon
- EntropyZero Consulting, Reston
- FireEye, Reston
- Ipsun Solar, Fairfax
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church
- ManTech International, Herndon
- MicroHealth, Tysons
- NTT Data Federal, Tysons
- Serco Inc., Herndon
- SOSi, Reston
Previously, FCEDA hosted a virtual career fair for recent college graduates.
“Every job represents a household, so when we connect people — whether newly minted graduates or those midway through a career — to thousands of open jobs, we are really improving lives, saving households and communities,” Victor Hoskins, FCEDA’s president and CEO, said in a press release.
People will be able to browse companies in a virtual lobby before entering “virtual booths” to view open positions and video conference with recruiters.
The job fair will be hosted on Tuesday, July 14, from 1-4 p.m. People can register online.
Photo by Avel Chuklanov on Unsplash
Reston Association’s ‘Camps in a Box’ Ready for Purchase — RA’s camp activity box– which includes different activities and a link to connect with camp staff during weekly Zoom’s calls — is now available for purchase online. [Reston Association]
Around Town: Vacancy Spike Expected in County— “Fairfax County’s office vacancy rate is likely to suffer as remote meetings continue to be the norm, the county’s economic development chief warned in early June. Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, delivered that warning to the county board of supervisors during a June 2 meeting.” [Washington Business Journal]
Next Comprehensive Plan Meeting Set for June 22 — The third meeting fo the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study Task Force takes place virtually on Monday, June 22 from 7-9 p.m. [Fairfax County Government]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Though Fairfax County is known as a hot-bed for government contract work, non-profit news organization ProPublica discovered that over $560 million in contracts were awarded to five Reston and Herndon based companies working to combat COVID-19.
This dedicated money will go towards a variety of research and response types, according to the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, including relief programs.
For example, Herndon based RER Solutions, Inc. was awarded the highest amounts of money in Fairfax County. With the $500 million contract, the woman-owned small business will help the U.S. Small Business Administration with data analysis and loan-recommendation services, the Fairfax County EDA said in a press release.
“The SBA is administering several emergency relief programs for small businesses, including the Payroll Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program,” the EDA press release said.
Other contracts in the area include:
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
New-Grad Virtual Career Fair is Today — The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority is holding a virtual job fair today for new graduations from 1-4 p.m. Almost a dozen companies including Northrop Grumman, NTT Data Federal and Sparks will attend the event. [FCEDA]
Athletic Fields to Reopen Tomorrow — All outdoor athletic fields in Fairfax County will be open beginning tomorrow (Friday). This includes more than 850 athletic fields, including synthetic turf fields. At Fairfax County parks and public schools. [Fairfax County Government]
Honoring the Fallen in a Small Way — Members of the Post 184 Avenue of Flags Committee did not hold a Memorial Day ceremony at Chestnut Grove Cemetery in Herndon. Instead, the group received permission to place small American stick flags with name cards indicating the fallen soldier being honored at the cemetery. [The Connection]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Several local companies have snagged spots on the Fortune 500 list of the largest publicly-traded companies in the United States.
The list, which was published today, includes 11 companies from Fairfax County, representing the high number of Fortune 500 companies the county has ever had.
Rankings are based on revenues from last year.
“Only a handful of communities can say they are home to 11 Fortune 500 companies. It sends a really strong message from the corporate world that this is a strong, stable, resilient location for headquarters operations,” said Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority.
Reston-based informational technology company SAIC was a newcomer to the list, coming in at#466. Beacon Roofing, a Herndon-based building materials company, came in at #434. Reston-based informational technology company Leidos Holdings took spot #289.
Photo via SAIC
Wind Advisory In Effect Today — A wind advisory is in effect for today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The National Weather Service encourages caution while driving. Outdoor objects should also be secured. [National Weather Service]
A Request for Local Businesses — The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority is conducting an online survey to determine how the COVID-19 crisis is impacting local businesses. Responses are due by tomorrow (Friday) at 5 p.m. [Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]
Reston Shop Donates Dresses to Coronavirus Responders — Scout & Molly’s in Reston Town Center is donating dresses to frontline responders. When a customer purchases a dress online, the store will donate a dress of equal or lesser value. [Reston Patch]
Northam Pushes Elections Back — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam pushed elections back due to the COVID-19 crisis. The state’s June 9 congressional primary has been delayed by two weeks to June 23. [WTOP]
School Board to Discuss Budget Today — The Fairfax County Public Schools’ board will meet at 10 a.m. today to discuss the impact of the coronavirus on the school system’s budget. [Twitter]
Photo via vantagehill/Flickr
Registration Now Open for Presentation by Master Flutist — experience the history of women in jazz during a lecture and live performance by master flutist Galen Abdur-Razzaq at Reston Regional Library. The events takes place on March 3 from 7-8:30 p.m. [Fairfax County Government]
Leading the World in Data Centers — “Northern Virginia is by far the largest data center market in the world… data centers are centralized locations where computing and networking equipment is concentrated for the purpose of collecting, storing, processing, distributing or allowing access to large amounts of data. [Fairfax County Economic Development Authority]
Registration Now Open for Reston Camps — Registration for Camps Reston is now open for all. More information about this year’s offerings is available online. [Reston Association]
Photo by Jay Westcott
A cybersecurity company that was founded in Virginia has announced plans to expand in the Town of Herndon, according to a release by Gov. Ralph Northam.
Expel, Inc. will expand its headquarters at 12950 Worldgate Drive, creating 164 new jobs in engineering, customer experience, IT, marketing and sales team over the next three years.
“There’s a fantastic pool of tech talent location in Northern Virginia, and we have close proximity to strong education institutions and major tech companies,” said Dave Merkel, Expel’s CEO.
The company, which is investing $1.4 million in the expansion, offers managed security on-premises and in the cloud, including 24/7 monitoring through security operations using security tools that customers already have.
The expansion was made possible through the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, which provides consultancy and funding services to help companies create new jobs.
Here’s more from Northam’s office:
“Virginia has emerged as a national leader in cybersecurity and continues to be at the forefront of workforce development in this rapidly-evolving industry, thanks to companies like Expel, Inc.,” said Governor Northam. “We are thrilled to support this homegrown Northern Virginia business as they grow and expand and look forward to their ongoing success in Herndon.”
“Herndon and the 86th District continues to attract tech companies and workers of all backgrounds because we work hard to create economic growth while maintaining an accessible community and excellent quality of life,” said Delegate Ibraheem Samirah. “I’m excited to see the growing tech center in Herndon and hope that it solidifies Herndon’s position as the best place to live and work in the Commonwealth.”
“I am proud to see that the Town of Herndon continues to attract and retain the best and brightest companies like Expel, Inc.,” said Senator Jennifer Boysko. “Working to recruit a diverse and talented workforce continues to strengthen our robust economy. I welcome Expel Inc.’s expansion in the 33rd Senate District.”
Image via Google Maps
Several Reston-based companies made it to a national list that recognizes employers for dedication to diversity and inclusion.
The yearly list of 500 companies, which is compiled by Forbes magazine, included three Reston-based companies and 13 companies in Fairfax County.
SAIC, an information technology company that stands for Science Applications International Corporation, ranked #91 on the list. Leidos, which is opening up its headquarters in Reston Town Center soon, got the 455th spot while Bechtel, an engineering and construction company, got the 500th spot.
“The workforce today – and the workforce of tomorrow – want to see a commitment to diversity and inclusion by employers, and it is a testament to these Fairfax County companies’ efforts to attract talented employees from all backgrounds and walks of life that they are part of this impressive national ranking,” said Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority.
Forbes’ list was compiled using survey data from a sample of more than 60,000 U.S. employees. Other factors like diversity levels among executives, leadership positions responsible for diversity, and the presence of a diverse company culture were also considered as part of the determination.
Photo courtesy Boston Properties
Fairfax County Poaches Another Arlington Development Official — The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) announced that it has poached another one of Arlington’s economic development officials: Alex Iams, the former interim director of the Arlington Economic Development. [Tysons Reporter]
Common Recycling Mistakes — Nearly 30 percent of material received by a third-party recycling processor used by the county is trash. The county offers tips on how to stop this practice of “wishful recycling.” [Fairfax County Government]
Feedback Sought on Fairfax County Parkway Improvements — The Virginia Department of Transportation is holding a public hearing on Thursday (Dec. 12) on plans to improve five miles of Fairfax County Parkway. Comments can also be submitted online. [Virginia Department of Transportation]
More Authority Proposed for Local Jurisdictions — “Democrats say they are likely to let counties and cities choose, for example, whether to remove or relocate Confederate memorials, and are looking for ways to allow them to impose taxes on hotel stays and cigarettes. They say they are unlikely to push for a full adoption of home rule, however, citing a century’s worth of judicial decisions that adhere to the philosophy of state control.” [The Washington Post]
Photo via Flickr/vantagehill
In the third quarter of this year, more than a dozen companies in the county brought more than 450 jobs to the county.
Two Information Technology companies based in Herndon added roughly 35 jobs. Learning Tree International, which provides IT training, certification and management courses, is adding 25 jobs. BITS, an IT company that is classified as an Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Business, brought 10 jobs to the area.
Ranstand Technologies, which is based in Tysons, topped this list by adding 300 IT jobs in fiscal year 2020.
Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, said most of the companies were highly focused on technology.
“Technology is the backbone of the Fairfax County economy, and we are proud to have companies growing in a wide variety of tech sectors – and throughout many areas of the county too,” Hoskins wrote in a statement. “The diversity of these companies also is keeping Northern Virginia globally competitive.”
Tysons-based companies dominated the list of 14 companies.
Photo via Unsplash
