Local military and homeland security contractors plan to join with city economic development officials regionwide in an effort to nurture the area's defense industry.
The aim is to position Hampton Roads as "Pentagon South".
Officials said the new group is an outgrowth of a defense industry consortium formed by Virginia Beach three years ago as part of an economic development initiative.
The Beach recruited Chesapeake last year, and industry and government officials in those two cities have now concluded that it makes sense to broaden the effort. Some of the defense companies, for instance, have offices in multiple cities.
With defense spending accounting for roughly one-third of the economy in Hampton Roads, several cities consider such businesses a target market for job creation.
"We always talk about coming together as a region, so this is something else we're trying to do," said Scott Howell, senior business development manager for Chesapeake's Department of Economic Development. "It only makes sense given how much our local economy relies on the defense industry."
One city can't promote itself as "Pentagon South," said Cynthia Spanoulis, strategy and performance coordinator for the Beach's Department of Economic Development.
"We've got to be bigger to call ourselves that," she said. "Everything's regional."
The new group will be known as the Hampton Roads Defense and Homeland Security Consortium. It will operate under the umbrella of the Hampton Roads Technology Council, which counts a variety of defense contractors as members and now works with local economic development agencies.
Rick Lally, chairman of the technology council, said he hopes the regional group will explore such things as mentorship programs, a defense business incubator, and other ways to strengthen the presence of small, innovative companies.
Lally's Oceana Sensor Technologies Inc., which works with the Navy, was among around two dozen companies in the Virginia Beach consortium.
"The benefits of having these businesses here and their impact on the community is a regional thing - that's what it boils down to," Lally said.
The group's first meeting - representatives from any local defense or homeland security business can attend - is a Monday (October 15, 2007) lunch at the Residence Inn at Greenbrier in Chesapeake, starting at 11:30 a.m. Chesapeake's Department of Economic Development is covering the meals and the $150 room-rental fee, Howell said.
So far, economic development officials in Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton and Newport News have expressed interest in joining the Beach and Chesapeake in the effort.
The aim is to position Hampton Roads as "Pentagon South".
Officials said the new group is an outgrowth of a defense industry consortium formed by Virginia Beach three years ago as part of an economic development initiative.
The Beach recruited Chesapeake last year, and industry and government officials in those two cities have now concluded that it makes sense to broaden the effort. Some of the defense companies, for instance, have offices in multiple cities.
With defense spending accounting for roughly one-third of the economy in Hampton Roads, several cities consider such businesses a target market for job creation.
"We always talk about coming together as a region, so this is something else we're trying to do," said Scott Howell, senior business development manager for Chesapeake's Department of Economic Development. "It only makes sense given how much our local economy relies on the defense industry."
One city can't promote itself as "Pentagon South," said Cynthia Spanoulis, strategy and performance coordinator for the Beach's Department of Economic Development.
"We've got to be bigger to call ourselves that," she said. "Everything's regional."
The new group will be known as the Hampton Roads Defense and Homeland Security Consortium. It will operate under the umbrella of the Hampton Roads Technology Council, which counts a variety of defense contractors as members and now works with local economic development agencies.
Rick Lally, chairman of the technology council, said he hopes the regional group will explore such things as mentorship programs, a defense business incubator, and other ways to strengthen the presence of small, innovative companies.
Lally's Oceana Sensor Technologies Inc., which works with the Navy, was among around two dozen companies in the Virginia Beach consortium.
"The benefits of having these businesses here and their impact on the community is a regional thing - that's what it boils down to," Lally said.
The group's first meeting - representatives from any local defense or homeland security business can attend - is a Monday (October 15, 2007) lunch at the Residence Inn at Greenbrier in Chesapeake, starting at 11:30 a.m. Chesapeake's Department of Economic Development is covering the meals and the $150 room-rental fee, Howell said.
So far, economic development officials in Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton and Newport News have expressed interest in joining the Beach and Chesapeake in the effort.
By JON W. GLASS, The Virginian-Pilot © October 13, 2007
(757) 446-2318, jon.glass@pilotonline.com
(757) 446-2318, jon.glass@pilotonline.com
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