Access to Business Success
Sponsored by Arlington Economic Development & the Business Development Assistance Group (BDAG) in conduction with Arlington’s Small Business Coordinating Council
Arlington’s 4th Annual Small Business Expo is now merged with BDAG’s Access to Success event. This event promises to be the business event of the year! Area companies selling goods to the government, businesses in export/import or retail industries and companies both large and small interested in growing minority and women-based operations are invited to attend. Issues facing small businesses will be addressed throughout the day. Valuable networking opportunities are also provided at this conference. Visit the BizLaunch Web Site for more details and the full agenda. Sponsorships still available.
Date: August 3, 2006
Time: 8:00am - 3:30pm
Location: The Westin Arlington Gateway, 801 N. Glebe Road, 2nd Floor, Arlington, VA 22203
Fee: $55
Register Online or for more information contact Darnell Roseboro at (703) 228-0833

Arlington Teams with U.S. Department of Commerce Virginia Export Assistance Center Arlington County officials announced a partnership with the United States Department of Commerce, Virginia Export Assistance Center (VEAC). Officials with both organizations report that the partnership will create great synergies through joint events, networking, contacts and opportunities for Arlington businesses. The VEAC will move from their current location in Rosslyn, and will be collocated with Arlington Economic Development (AED) staff in Ballston, at their 1100 N. Glebe Road offices. By partnering with VEAC, Terry Holzheimer, Director of Arlington Economic Development, is hoping to capitalize on and expand Arlington’s international market. “AED receives a number of inquires for assistance in this area, and VEAC will be able to open a lot of doors to Arlington businesses,” stated Mr. Holzheimer. “VEAC facilitates meetings with overseas companies and will be able to extend those invitations to foreign companies and help Arlington companies gain access to them.” More Information -->

Region Outpaces Nation in High-tech, Science Jobs According to recently released U.S. Census figures, Arlington’s growth increased 30% - the top in the region - in professional, scientific and technical services sector between 2003 and 2004. According to the report, Arlington added 73 professional, scientific and technical services companies between 2003 and 2004 and nearly 8,000 new workers in the same category. The entire region outpaced national growth in this sector. More Information -->

America’s Smartest Cities Which community boasts the highest concentration of brainpower -- and therefore can claim to be America's smartest big city? The answer is Seattle, according to a new study by Bizjournals.com. Arlington holds its own as the “brainiest” medium-sized area. Arlington, is no match for Washington, D.C., in terms of population, but it’s on par intellectually. Arlington leads the nation’s 76 medium communities in brainpower. Medium communities are those that have 100,000 to 200,000 residents that were 25 or older as of 2000. A large share of Arlington’s workers commute to government, legal and lobbying jobs in Washington. But Arlington also has an impressive office complex of its own -- the Pentagon. More Information -->

The Consumer Electronics Association is joining the parade of new tenants settling into space in Crystal City. The association has agreed to buy 1919 S. Eads St. from Vornado Realty Trust for $38.4 million. CEA will move its headquarters there from 2500 Wilson Blvd. in Courthouse, bringing 130 jobs with it. Both locations are in Arlington. The price for the 96,000-square-foot building works out to $400 a square foot, resulting a gain of $17 million to Vornado, according the Paramus, N.J.-based real estate company. The move is expected to occur by the end of the year, says Brendan Owen, chief leasing officer at Charles E. Smith Commercial Realty, the Washington division of Vornado. More information -->

IDC Recognizes Plateau Systems for Leadership in Providing Comprehensive Talent Management Solutions Suite Report Commends Plateau for Delivering Strong Performance, Career, Succession, and Learning Software that Uniquely Addresses Vital Talent Management Market Requirements. Plateau Systems, a leading provider of software for developing, managing and optimizing organizational skills and talent, announced that the company was recognized for its visionary talent management strategy and comprehensive solutions in a new research profile by International Data Corp. (IDC). Plateau's integrated talent management suite, comprised of Plateau Performance, Plateau Learning, and Plateau Career & Succession, was specifically recognized for its strong functionality, integrated learning and performance capability, and single scalable architecture. IDC also acknowledged Plateau's high growth and potential for future expansion, citing its recent launch of Plateau OnDemand, the industry's first enterprise-class on-demand performance, learning, career, and succession talent management solution. More information -->

CACI Ups Hiring for Background Checks CACI International will help the federal government clear out the backlog of background checks on potential government employees. CACI is one of five companies whose contracts to run background checks were extended. The contract extensions have a potential value of $2.4 billion, although CACI did not disclose what its share of that work would be. CACI has been conducting background checks and other services for the Office of Personnel Management since 2003. As a result of the extension, the company says it will add additional investigative positions and expand its project management office support staff. More information -->

Watson Wyatt Buys Compensation Consulting Firm Watson Wyatt a consulting business specializing in human resources and financial management, has acquired a small California consulting firm for an undisclosed amount. Watson Wyatt executives say the purchase of Briggs & Sands in Rancho Mirage, Calif., gives the Arlington-based company a stronger global presence in sales management and compensation consulting. All three principals of Briggs & Sands -- Ted Briggs, Scott Sands and Clinton Gott -- will join Watson Wyatt. Briggs & Sands works with clients to improve their sales models, create performance-based sales compensation plans and implement supporting programs. More information -->

James Monroe Shareholders OK Sale to Mercantile James Monroe Bancorp shareholders have approved the proposed merger with Baltimore-based Mercantile Bankshares. The $143 million stock and cash deal has already gotten the go-ahead from state and federal regulators. It is expected to close July 17. The Arlington-based parent of James Monroe Bank will merge into the Mercantile Potomac Bank division of Mercantile-Safe Deposit and Trust. The deal, which adds seven Northern Virginia branches and $536 million in assets to Mercantile Potomac, caught Greater Washington's banking industry by surprise in part because James Monroe is only eight years old and a relatively strong performer in the market. But facing what the bank described in a recent regulatory filing as increasing competition, continued tight margins and “inherent uncertainty” as to the bank's ability to "continue profitable growth," management decided to seek a merger. More information -->

AES Buys Majority Stake in U.K. Energy Firm AES Corp got into the wind-generation business two years ago and now the energy company is expanding that business to Europe. AES said it has acquired majority control of the Wind Energy Ltd., a United Kingdom-based wind development firm. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed. Founded in 2002, Wind Energy is a privately held company that develops wind power projects in Scotland. “This acquisition is the first expansion of AES’s wind energy business into Europe and represents a strategic step in our efforts to become a leader in wind generation development and operation worldwide,” says William Luraschi, the company’s executive vice president of business development, in a statement. “Growing our wind energy business is a key component of our expansion into alternative energy.” More information -->

Key Bridge Marriott Closing Its Popular Top-Floor Restaurant After 26 years of enthusiastically serving thousands of customers, the restaurant atop the Key Bridge Marriott, is scheduled to close. “What can you do?” asked waiter Boan Minh, gazing outside at the restaurant's unobstructed view of Washington, the monuments and the Potomac River. “I can do nothing. We've been here a long time. It's very sad.” JW’s View Steakhouse, atop the 47-year-old Key Bridge Marriott, has hosted countless wedding receptions, graduation parties and other special celebrations over years. To many, the restaurant's closing signals the end of an era, the loss of an intimate, friendly space where the waiters treated customers like family -- a place where diners could escape hurried city life and enjoy a fine, relaxing meal and a spectacular view. The rooftop restaurant originally opened as the Chaparrall Restaurant in 1970; it became the View Restaurant in 1980 and changed to JW’s in the mid-1990s. More information -->

CACI International Lands Piece of Army Contract The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has a awarded a $200 million contract, and CACI International is getting some of that money -- although the company won't disclose how much of the national security contract it's receiving. CACI is one of six participating contractors. It will provide operations support, facilities and financial and management services to the Army. The contract is for one base year and four option years. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency provides intelligence data for national security. More information -->

Verizon Obtains Franchises in Arlington and Loudoun Counties Region’s franchises now total 13, covering 2.4 million potential viewers. FiOS TV will become available to consumers in parts of Centreville, Arlington and Loudoun, this month. Nearly 500,000 northern Virginia residents are a major step closer to choice for their cable television services, thanks to recent votes in Arlington and Loudoun counties authorizing Verizon to offer its fiber-optic-powered FiOS TV. Action by the Arlington County Board on June 13 and the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors June 20 brings the number of jurisdictions in the region to 13 to grant Verizon a cable franchise. The area 13 franchises cover more than 872,000 households with approximately 2.4 million potential viewers. “These agreements represent a huge step forward for consumers who are eager for a true competitive choice in video service providers,” said Robert W. Woltz Jr., president of Verizon Virginia. “Competition drives innovation, value and service quality, and we will compete aggressively for business with our FiOS services, which are fueled by our lightning-fast fiber-optic network.” More information -->

Kaine Gives Housing Initiative a Hand Seated amid the concrete blocks and girders of a residential building going up in Arlington, Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) signed legislation that officials say will help the county preserve and increase its shrinking stock of affordable housing. Between 2000 and 2005, Arlington County lost nearly 10,000 units -- or about half -- of its affordable housing because of rising property values, officials said. Efforts to reverse that trend were stalled in 2004 when an Arlington judge ruled that it was illegal for the county to ask developers to reserve 10 percent of floor space in projects built near Metro stations for affordable housing and to solicit cash contributions from commercial developers. The new state law secures Arlington’s authority to implement a unanimously approved compromise plan that will determine how much developers contribute to the county’s affordable housing efforts. That plan was drafted after six months of discussions among county political and business leaders, housing advocates and other stakeholders. More information -->

Arlington County Strengthens Plan Review and Inspections Capabilities To meet the increasing demands of development projects, the Arlington County Board approved hiring more staff, adding technology, and revamping policies and processes of the Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development’s Inspection Services Division. County Manager Ron Carlee attributes the marked increase in development to Arlington’s Smart Growth program. “Despite being the smallest county in the country, we have prospered in developing a world-class urban community. We are committed to working with our residents and the development community to streamline the current process and expedite projects at a much faster rate.” To meet the rise in demand, the County Board had earlier authorized three new positions in the fall of 2005 for the Inspection Services Division, including a building inspector, a fire protection inspector and a code technician. The County has successfully filled all three positions. The budget approval allows for an additional six positions. In addition, the County rolled out a three-tiered action plan that will address the every growing demands on inspection services. More information -->

One and Two Potomac Yard Receives Gold Certification from U.S. Green Building Council The U.S. Green Building Council announced, the recently completed One & Two Potomac Yard has been certified Gold in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) New Construction Green Building System. The new, two-tower office building is the first new construction project in the Washington, D.C. metro area and state of Virginia to achieve the Gold designation. The developer, Crescent Resources, LLC, worked closely with the lead tenant, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), lessor, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), architect Davis Carter Scott, and general contractor James G. Davis Construction to design and develop the 12-story, 650,000-square-foot office building to meet the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED standards. EPA will occupy two-thirds of the two-tower office building, which is the first to be constructed in the new mixed-use development Potomac Yard in South Arlington. More information -->

Crane’s View: A Bird’s Eye View of Arlington’s Latest Development Harris Teeter, Johnny Rockets and other eateries will be coming to this expanding village in Shirlington this fall. And with a new library and theatre on the way, the only thing missing is you! More information -->

Interstate Buys Stake in Cleveland Hotels Intersate Hotels & Resorts has made its second deal of the week, acquiring a minority stake in a six-hotel portfolio in the Cleveland area. The hotel management and ownership company -- which June 27 paid $14.4 million for the 131-room Hilton Garden Inn in Baton Rouge, La. -- will invest about $4 million to acquire a 15 percent interest in six Residence Inn by Marriott properties totaling 825 suites in the Cleveland market. Interstate Hotels purchased the interest from the hotel-portfolio's majority owner, Moreland Management, a Cleveland-based private investment group. Interstate Hotels says it began managing the hotels in March in anticipation of buying a stake in them. More information -->

US Airways Adds Nonstop D.C. Service to Florida Destination US Airways. may no longer have its headquarters in the Washington area, but it still has its eyes on the region's air travelers. The carrier, which was based in Arlington before merging with Arizona-based America West, has received federal approval for a new nonstop service between Reagan National Airport and Sarasota/Bradenton, Fla. The year-round daily service will begin Aug. 15. As the only nonstop pairing of National and Sarasota/Bradenton, US Airways Express carrier Republic Airways will operate the daily round trip with the 72-passenger Embraer 170 regional jet.

Busiest Fourth of July Ever That is the pronouncement from AAA who studies these issues with great diligence. July 5 also marks the 50th anniversary if the Interstate Highway System which was created by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Looking back to those times the highway vacationer paid $.22 a gallon for gasoline in 1956 and the average hotel rate was $8.86. Niagara Falls was the top vacation destination. For current travel trends and More information -->

Interstate Hotels Acquires Baton Rouge Hotel for $14.4 Million Interstate Hotels & Resorts has acquired a 131-room hotel in Louisiana for $14.4 million. Interstate Hotels says it paid $110,000 per room for the Hilton Garden Inn in Baton Rouge. Interstate Hotels, which will also manage the property, did not disclose the seller. The acquisition was funded with cash on hand and cash available on the company's senior credit facility. The Hilton Garden Inn has a 48-seat restaurant, about 1,500 square feet of meeting space, a heated pool and a business center among other amenities. It is the third wholly owned and first select-service property that Interstate Hotels has acquired since February 2005, as part of its announced strategy to diversify its earnings. More information -->

Washington Metro Area In Top 50 Priceline.com's annual “Top 50 Destinations for summer 2006” has the Washington White House/Downtown neighborhood in the 7th spot on the list and the Washington Northern Virginia neighborhood in the 36th spot. Since the priceline.com study is based on actual booking requests, and not on consumer preference polls or votes, priceline.com believes the study is one of the more accurate predictors of summer travel trends. Also, priceline.com’s study focuses on specific neighborhoods instead of just cities, providing an added level of detail. More information -->

Metro Area Hotels – Buy, Sell, Build A new study by HVS International indicates a significant growth in the value of Washington metropolitan hotels. The consultants believe that these hotel values, are fundamentally sound, and lift the area into a new tier among top cities and that this position should continue and grow. Arlington’s hotel industry more often than not, mirrors the District of Columbia, with slightly lower statistics. For a copy of this fascinating study and. More information -->

Retail and Restaurants Carry on Little Saigon Traditions Platform shoes and disco music weren’t the only things for sale in Clarendon in the 1970s. Visitors and even locals may not realize the area was once full of traditional Vietnamese businesses catering to a growing immigrant population eager for familiar goods and services. Many of the businesses have since moved on, but a handful still carry on “Little Saigon’s” traditions as part of Clarendon’s diverse mix of restaurants and shops. Full Story -->

What’s Happening Tonight: Lose the Ties and Kick off Your Heels No need to groan anymore when Monday rolls around. Check out this first edition which lists a fun activity in Arlington for every night of the workweek. Many activities repeat weekly, so if you find something you like, you might just have a reason on Sunday nights to smile after all. More information -->

Educational Options, Inc. Named 2006 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Owner Thomas E. Sawner accepted the award during ACCESS 2006: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Summit. “Educational Options demonstrates a dedication to their employees, customers, and communities that exemplifies America’s spirit of enterprise and entrepreneurship,” said Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “Small businesses are the backbone of America’s economy. This award is presented to highlight a business that conducts itself in a caring and innovative way every day.” Educational Options provides online high school courses to more than 100,000 students in nearly 1,200 schools and institutions in 43 states. The company is currently developing GED to Diploma, a program to assist communities with their GED and adult high school diploma programs. More Information -->

BizLaunch Events Visit the BizLaunch Web site to see all events in July and August sponsored by BizLaunch partners. Events are free, unless otherwise noted. For more information on BizLaunch program, visit the BizLaunch Web site.

Business Plan Seminar
Sponsored by Rockville Economic Development Incorporation (REDI)
Date: : July 18, 2006
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
95 Monroe Street, Rockville, MD
Fee: Free - Registration required
REDI presents a free business plan writing seminar with focus on the financial aspects of the business plan. For more information phone (301) 315-8096

Introduction to Business Ownership
Sponsored by National Women's Business Center
Date: July 20, 2006
Time: 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 919, Washington, D.C.
Fee: $25 advance registration and payment; $35 at the door If you are looking for a resource to help you plan a new business, this is the workshop for you. The instructor is a business owner who provides a road map to the process of researching your market, defining your product or service, taking your offerings to potential customers, and assessing your results. The workshop will review common pitfalls that can bedevil new business owners. It also covers the many resources in the Washington area to help new business owners launch their companies. The Center's resources for new businesses, including its 13-week Up and Running program, will be reviewed. The format encourages participants to ask questions and network with each other. For more information phone (202) 785-4922 or visit Women's Business Center Web Site

ABCs of Starting a Business
Sponsored by Women’s Business Center of Northern Virginia (WBCNOVA)
Date: July 25, 2006
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
7001 Loisdale Road, 2nd Floor, Springfield, VA
Fee: Free - Registration is required
This is the place to start. Our orientation workshop takes your business idea from start to finish. Get the tools to successfully start and grow your small business including topics such as: What does it take to be an entrepreneur? Where do you get licensed and registered? How do you select the right legal form for your business? Where can you get money for start up? What's a business plan and why do you need one? How do our classes and free counseling work? And much, much more. For more information phone (703) 778-9922 or visit WBCNOVA Web Site

Business to Government Event
Sponsored by NVTC’s Business to Government Committee
Date: July 27, 2006
Time: 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Hilton McLean, 7920 Jones Branch Dr., McLean, VA
Fee: $35 for members; $70 for non-members
Don’t miss this special opportunity to hear our top leader in technology – Virginia’s Secretary of Technology Aneesh Chopra - talk about how you can improve your company’s bottom line by doing business with the State of Virginia. There is a lot of business out there and Secretary Chopra will tell you how to compete for it by discussing the role of small business entrepreneurs in the State’s procurement process, the framing of the Commonwealth’s technology investment trends and emerging opportunities, and the value of public/private partnerships. For more information visit NVTC Web Site