The Department of Homeland Security Speaks Arlington’s e-Council will hold a special event with senior officials of the Department of Homeland Security. Al Martinez-Fonts, Special Assistant to the Secretary for the Private Sector and Greg Rothwell, Chief Procurement Officer, both of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will discuss major policy initiatives as well as opportunities for technology companies to work with DHS. The event takes place on February 11, 2003 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Conference Center located at 4301 Wilson Boulevard. Advanced registration is required and is available online or by telephone at (703) 525-2400.

Arlington Unemployment Rate Down to 1.7 Percent Arlington County’s unemployment rate dropped to 1.7 percent in November, with fewer than 2,000 county residents out of work and more than 115,500 employed, according to figures released by the Virginia Employment Commission. The county’s unemployment rate has been dropping since last February, which came in at 2.7 percent and is approaching the record-low unemployment rate set in 2000, of 1.1 percent. A low unemployment rate is a win-win for Arlington because it draws a regional workforce. Although low unemployment rates in other jurisdictions may cause companies to compete for workers, Arlington's regional supply is adequate for its companies.

Annual Colloquium Slated for February 20 Arlington Economic Development, in conjunction with the Ballston Partnership Real Estate Committee, will presents a review and forecast of the Arlington office, retail and residential markets. Join us on February 20, 2004 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Arlington Business Center, 1100 North Glebe Road, Suite 1500. Information will be provided on economic trends relating to both the office and residential markets, including the latest news on some of the most dynamic new projects in the Washington area, including the proposed conference center, the Columbia Pike redevelopment, and the re-energized Shirlington and Crystal City retail areas. A few seats remain and advance registration is required. Admission is free. For more information or to register, click here or contact Connie Smith at (703) 228-0855.

Filling Vacant Staff Positions with the Help of AEC, Changes in State Programs Employers seeking staff for vacant positions may be able to look forward to better coordination of services at both the state and local level. Following a report by the Virginia legislature which found a severe lack of coordination between state agencies and programs for employment, the General Assembly is now considering several proposals for better coordination of workforce training programs in Virginia. Arlington’s Workforce Investment Board, which advises the County on these issues, is following these considerations with the hope that they will result in more resources for existing or future Arlington businesses. Watch for updates in future issues. Meanwhile, businesses with job requirements are encouraged to contact Arlington’s Employment Center (AEC). AEC has been instrumental in assisting employers with their staffing needs, including training for new positions and incumbent workers. Contact AEC at 703-228-1400 or visit their Web site.

ESI Adds Contracting Training Location Arlington-based ESI International, the leading provider of contract management and project management training services, has added Huntsville, AL, to its network of training locations for contracting courses. With the addition of this new city, government organizations and government contractors located in this region now have a more convenient location to attend ESI's government contracting courses. For more information, click here.

FBR Keeps IPOs Coming Friedman Billings Ramsey is starting 2004 where it left off in 2003. The Arlington-based investment banker is acting as the sole book-running lead manager for the IPO of Government Properties Trust, a real estate company that invests in single-tenant properties under long-term leases to the U.S. government. Government Properties Trust Monday offered 16.8 million shares of common stock at $10 a share. The shares will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "GPP." For more information, click here.

Arlington, Bethesda Companies Enter Strategic Alliance Bethesda-based MobilePro, which last week bought an Internet services provider in Texas, has entered a strategic alliance with Arlington-based Global Defense Corp. to jointly pursue secure wireless opportunities in the defense and intelligence areas. For more information, click here.

Merger of E Trade and TD Waterhouse Off The proposed merger of E Trade and TD Waterhouse is off for now, according to the Washington Post. But "the courtship shows the amazing climb by [Mitchell] Caplan, who a half-dozen years ago was working out of a basement office near the Clarendon Metro station in Arlington. Today E-Trade Financial fills the entire Ballston Tower office building, which serves as Caplan's base of operations even though E-Trade's corporate headquarters is officially in New York." For more information, click here.

Army takes aim at UDI Arlington-based United Defense Industries extends a contract with the Army to make fake enemy tanks used in training exercises. According to UDI, the contact extension for the Opposing Forces Surrogate Training System is worth $20.8 million. The original contract, awarded in 2002, was for 62 of the vehicles. The extension calls for 22 more. For more information, click here.

Arlington-based Mills Corp Purchases Miami Mall Arlington-based Mills Corp., best known in the Washington area for developing Potomac Mills and Arundel Mills malls, continues to expand its shopping center portfolio. Mills is paying $79 million for the Westland Mall in north Miami. It is Mills' third Florida property. It plans cosmetic changes to improve the 30-year-old mall's appearance, but says it is a strong performing shopping center with three anchor tenants and 95 other specialty retailers. For more information, click here.

DMJM Design's Campus Planning Featured In 2003 Architectural Portfolio Arlington-based DMJM Design has been featured in the 21st Annual 2003 American School & University Architectural Portfolio, for their design of the York River Residence Halls and overall Comprehensive Master Plan at Christopher Newport University (CNU) in Newport News, Virginia. DMJM Design and CNU have enjoyed a seven-year partnership, resulting in the aesthetic and academic transformation of the university. Once a sleepy regional college Christopher Newport University is now reported by the Washington Post as one of the top 100 colleges in the Nation and one of the top 20 Undiscovered College Gems.

DMJM Appoints New Vice President/Programs Director Arlington-based DMJM announced the addition of Pete Spuler, PE, to its Corporate Programs team. Spuler joined DMJM as a vice president and director of business development for federal infrastructure projects, and was formerly the Director of Federal/Public Facilities at Greenhorne & O'Mara, Inc. in Greenbelt. Spuler's experience includes projects for the U.S. Postal Service, the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, NASA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Air Force, the National Park Service, the Smithsonian Institution, the Architect of the Capitol, and the U.S. General Services Administration.

TIA Reports U.S. Telecom Spending to Rise Arlington-based Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) reports that total spending in the U.S. telecommunications industry rose 4.7 percent in 2003 to an estimated $720.5 billion, according to TIA's 2004 Telecommunications Market Review and Forecast. The U.S. telecommunications industry is expected to grow at a 9.2 percent compound annual rate from 2004 to2007, reaching $1 trillion. TIA also expects a turnaround for U.S. telecommunications equipment spending, showing growth of $14.4 billion in 2004. For more information, click here.

Association of Contingency Planners Announces Ten Year Anniversary The Association of Contingency Planners (ACP) announced the ten year anniversary of the chartering of the DC & Mid-Atlantic Chapter, which provides business continuity professionals in Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia the opportunity to network and continue their business continuity education. "ACP is pleased to honor our largest chapter, whose 170+ members include a broad spectrum of federal, state and local government personnel, consultants from large, medium, and small firms and business continuity managers from Fortune 500 companies,” said Paul Striedl, ACP Chapter Services Director. "The DC & Mid-Atlantic Chapter continues to set the pace with outreach initiatives, such as the one with Arlington Economic Development to promote disaster preparedness to small and mid-sized companies." For more information about ACP, click here.

AMTI Leases Space in Rosslyn Advanced Management Technology, Inc. (AMTI) has sublet 40,977 square feet of office space at 1515 Wilson Boulevard in Rosslyn. Founded in 1987, AMTI is a woman-owned, 8(a)-certified, small disadvantaged business that has experienced managed growth, but maintains its small business character. The firm’s core business areas are information systems management, Internet/intranet development, multimedia product design and distribution, system engineering and air traffic systems modernization. For more information, click here.

Local Barbershop Celebrates 48 Years of Service On July 5, 2004, the Williamsburg Barbershop and Lloyd A. Woody will each celebrate their 48th anniversary serving Arlington residents. In 1956, Roy Hunt opened the doors of his Williamsburg Barbershop for the first time to the Arlington public. Woody joined Roy, and in 1968 Roy’s nephew Bob Hunt purchased the business from Roy. Since that time, the Woody-Hunt duo have given countless haircuts to young and old alike throughout Arlington.

JPI Sells the Jefferson JPI has sold the Jefferson building, located at 3000 Washington Boulevard, to ERP Operating, LP and EQR-Arizona, LLC for $63.25 million or $246,109 per apartment. The building contains 257 residential units and 14,089 square feet of retail space. The site was purchased in July 2001 for $8,276,000 or $32,202 per apartment.

Columbia Pike Coalition Holds Update Meeting The Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization (CPRO) held a luncheon sponsored by the Sheraton National Hotel on January 29, 2004 to provide updates on activities on Columbia Pike, and to seek new members for CPRO. Nearly 60 people attended the event, which included Board Chairperson Barbara Favola, Board Member Chris Zimmerman and Adam Wasserman, Director of AED. Presentations were given on proposed projects, as well as market feasibility analysis. Tim Lynch, Executive Director of CPRO, made a short presentation of the Columbia Pike process and the of the Columbia pike Form Based Code. For more information, click here.

US Airways Adds Passenger Access to E-mail, Messaging Arlington-based US Airways announced that passengers will now have inflight access to e-mail, instant messaging, text messaging, games, news, sports, weather and more through Verizon Airfone JetConnectSMservice, which will be available on many of its domestic routes beginning Feb. 1, 2004. Customers using JetConnect can log on and off as many times as they like for a flat fee of $5.99 per flight. E-mail is available for an additional cost $15.98 per flight. For more information, click here.

Interstate Hotels Promotes Top Execs Arlington-based Interstate Hotels and Resorts, the nations largest independent hotel management company, has promoted George Brennan to Senior VP, Sales and Marketing, and Alex Lombardo to VP, Finance. Prior to his promotion, Brennan was Senior VP of Marketing at Interstate. In his new position, he will oversee corporate-wide marketing and revenue management, as well as all sales efforts for the company’s managed portfolio of nearly 300 hotels. Lombardo served in a dual role as assistant treasurer for Interstate and its sister company Meristar Hospitality Corp., prior to his promotion. In his new position, he will be responsible for all corporate treasury and capital markets activities.

Year-end Statistics Check-in at Arlington Hotels Year-end statistics for Arlington hotels show a modest, but positive growth, finishing stronger than surrounding jurisdictions Alexandria and Washington, D.C. According to Smith Travel Research, Arlington hotels concluded 2003 with an occupancy of 68% and an average daily room rate of $121.60 resulting in revenue per available room (RevPAR) of $82.74. Arlington’s 9,930 hotel rooms had a 1% increase in RevPAR over the prior year. Zero growth in RevPAR was reported for Washington, D.C and .6% positive growth was reported in greater Alexandria. For more information, contact Arlington’s Convention & Visitors Service at 703-228-0888.

A Monumental Marathon What starts and finishes in Arlington every year and has more than 40,000 feet? If you guessed an event with an economic impact of $12.1 million – known to most of us as the Marine Corps Marathon – you’re correct. Commonly referred to as “the people’s marathon,” recent figures indicate the event brings more than 36,000 visitors to the area. The three-day event, which includes an expo at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City, the Healthy Kids Fun Run, the MCM 5K and pasta parties have helped grow the marathon into a family getaway, staying for an average of three nights in the area and spend more than $1,200 per group. Arlington hotels and restaurants capture nearly two-thirds of this spending, which does not include even more money brought to Arlington by local D.C. metro area participants who make up 44 percent of the total crowd. For more information on the Marine Corps Marathon, click here.

BioIT Coalition Luncheon Seminar: NanoBIOtech The BioIT Coalition will hold a luncheon seminar on February 25th from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the Arlington Business Center, 1100 North Glebe Road, Suite 1500. For more information or to register, please contact Eileen Mandell, (202) 220-1402, mandelle@pepperlaw.com

Energy Technology Seminar Arlington County and Rebuild America will offer a free energy technology seminar on February 19, 2004 at the NRECA conference center, 4301 Wilson Boulevard, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The seminar will feature experts from York International on energy-efficient motors and drives, and Powersmiths on energy-efficient transformers. This is the fifth in a popular series of workshops aimed at helping businesses cut energy costs while improving productivity and the environment. Attendance is free, but registration is required. To register, contact John Morrill, Arlington County Energy Manager at jmorrill@arlingtonva.us. For more information, call 703-228-4426.

ITANV Seeks Applications for Awards The International Trade Association of Northern Virginia (ITANV) is seeking applications from companies to be nominated for one of two prestigious awards which recognize excellence in exporting. The Suzanne Quadt Award recognizes a small, Virginia-based firm or organization that has achieved consistent levels of success in exporting in 2003. The Global Pathfinder Award recognizes a technology company based in Virginia that has successfully initiated or expanded a new international commerce program in 2003. The awards will be presented at a reception on March 23, 2004, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., at Arlington Economic Development, 1100 North Glebe Road, Suite 1500, Arlington, VA. Nominations are due by February 13, 2004. For more information, call (703) 860-8795 or click here.

Small Business Support Roundtable Many small business owners feel isolated and unable to talk openly and honestly with others experiencing similar business issues. As small business owners in Clarendon, Suzanne Fauber and Frank Finamore know first-hand the struggles facing owners – so they’ve teamed up to create the Small Business Support Roundtable. Small Business Support Roundtables will bring together 12 to 15 small business owners to have confidential discussions about important concerns members may be facing. Each group will meet for one morning a month. Members are asked to make a one-year commitment so that membership remains constant in order to afford participants a safe, stable learning and support environment. The next Roundtable will begin the first quarter of 2004, and applications for membership are being taken now. For more information, visit click here or call Frank Finamore at 703-525-0339.

BizLaunch Events
The following events are sponsored by BizLaunch, Arlington’s Small Business Assistance Network during the months of February and March. Mark your calendars!

February 13, 2004: How to Start a Business in Arlington
Time: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Sponsored by Arlington Economic Development & Arlington County Public Library
Location: The Arlington Business Center, 1100 N. Glebe Road, Suite 1500, Arlington, VA 22201. Admission is free; register by calling (703) 228-0853 or e-mail trmiles@arlingtonvirginiausa.com

February 18, 2004: Overview of U.S. Small Business Administration's Programs & Services
Time: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Sponsored by Arlington Economic Development
Location: The Arlington Business Center, 1100 N. Glebe Road, Suite 1500, Arlington, VA 22201. Admission is free; register by calling (703) 228-0853 or e-mail trmiles@arlingtonvirginiausa.com

February 26, 2004: Retail Site Selection & Lease Negotiation
Time: 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Sponsored by Arlington Economic Development
Location: The Arlington Business Center, 1100 N. Glebe Road, Suite 1500, Arlington, VA 22201. Admission is free; register by calling (703) 228-0853 or e-mail trmiles@arlingtonvirginiausa.com

March 3, 2004: How to Start a Business in Arlington
Time: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Sponsored by Arlington Economic Development
Location: The Arlington Business Center, 1100 N. Glebe Road, Suite 1500, Arlington, VA 22201. Admission is free; register by calling (703) 228-0853 or e-mail trmiles@arlingtonvirginiausa.com

March 10, 2004: Marketing Strategies to Successfully Develop Your Business
Time: 8 a.m. – 10:00 am
Sponsored by Arlington Economic Development
Location: The Arlington Business Center, 1100 N. Glebe Road, Suite 1500, Arlington, VA 22201. Admission is free; register by calling (703) 228-0853 or e-mail trmiles@arlingtonvirginiausa.com

March 17, 2004: Overview of U.S. Small Business Administration's Programs & Services
Time: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Sponsored by Arlington Economic Development
Location: The Arlington Business Center, 1100 N. Glebe Road, Suite 1500, Arlington, VA 22201. Admission is free; register by calling (703) 228-0853 or e-mail trmiles@arlingtonvirginiausa.com

March 25, 2004: Purchasing a Franchise
Time: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Sponsored by Arlington Economic Development
Location: The Arlington Business Center, 1100 N. Glebe Road, Suite 1500, Arlington, VA 22201. Admission is free; register by calling (703) 228-0853 or e-mail trmiles@arlingtonvirginiausa.com