Four Arlington Companies Are Virginia Fantastic 50 Winners Fifty of Virginia's fastest growing companies were celebrated at the twelfth annual Virginia's Fantastic Fifty Banquet on April 26. Four Arlington companies were included in the state-wide list: RNB Technologies, Inc. (a first time winner); Pro-telligent LLC ; Applied Predictive Technologies (APT); and Decisive Analytics Corporation were all honored. Congratulations to all the winners!

County Board Approves Central Place The Arlington County Board approved Central Place -- two towers in the heart of Rosslyn, directly across from the Rosslyn Metro, that are key to the effort to redefine the neighborhood’s skyline, upgrade its architectural quality, and revitalize its street life. The two buildings -- an office tower and a residential tower -- will add sculpted rooftops to the Rosslyn skyline and public access to views. The office tower will feature a top-floor observation deck open to the public that will hold up to 500 persons at one time and will provide dramatic, 360-degree views across the Potomac River and down the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. A 17,035-square-foot public plaza will separate the two towers. JBG, the developer, will contribute $5.4 million to the County’s affordable housing fund and $3.5 million to upgrade the Rosslyn Metro station elevators. The towers are to be built between N. Lynn and N. Moore Streets and between Wilson Boulevard and 19 Street N, on a two-acre site on the eastern block of an area known as Central Place.

Don't Miss the 12th Annual ABBIES Register now for this year's annual ABBIES ceremony, a celebration of Arlington's best businesses, sponsored by the Arlington Economic Development Commission and the Arlington Chamber of Commerce. The 12th Annual ABBIES ceremony will be held on May 15, 2007.

2007 Community Enhancement Grants The Arlington Community Foundation (ACF) is now accepting applications for 2007 Community Enhancement Grants. The ACF awards grants up to $10,000 to charitable organizations through the Community Enhancement grants program. Nonprofits serving Arlington may submit one application and must identify whether they are seeking support for Capacity Building, a specific Project, or General Operating.

Submit Nominations for Inc. 5,000 Inc. Magazine is expanding its acclaimed Inc. 500 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States to include 5,000 dynamic businesses. The new list will be called the Inc. 5,000. The top 500 companies will be profiled in Inc. Magazine, and the entire Inc. 5,000 will be profiled on Inc.com. In addition to getting profiled in Inc., companies often receive local and national media attention. All 5,000 companies on the Inc. 5,000 will be able to attend the Inc. 500 Conference being held in Chicago in September. The deadline for applications is May 15, 2007.

Special Hockey International Tournament Brings Thousands to Kettler Iceplex The Special Hockey International Tournament was held at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex on April 19, 20 and 21. A total of 677 players completed from 39 teams, including 18 teams from Canada and Great Britain. Early estimates show a total regional economic impact of the event of over $1 million in revenue, with Arlington County receiving over $700,000 based on hotel bookings, food, entertainment, shopping and amusements. The Arlington Convention and Visitors Service assisted tournament organizers with blocks of hotel rooms.

Share Your AIRE! The AIRE (Arlington Initiative to Reduce Emissions) campaign, launched by County Board Chairman Paul Ferguson on January 1, 2007, seeks to encourage, assist, and reward businesses that reduce their greenhouse gas emissions - and Arlington County wants to hear your story! If your business has reduced its energy consumption recently, or launched a new recycling effort, or provided new commuting options for your employees, or are purchasing green power, we would like to hear about your motivations and celebrate your success. Get general information on AIRE; share your successes; or for more information e-mail John Morrill.

Dr. Jack London Honored for Personal Contributions and Technology Leadership by Arlington County Board On April 24, 2007 Arlington County Chairman Paul Ferguson recognized Dr. Jack London, President and CEO of CACI International for his personal contributions to Arlington and his leadership of CACI. In his acceptance, Dr. London expressed his pride in Arlington. "I am extremely proud to be an Arlington County resident. This is an exciting and wonderful place to live. And I am pleased that CACI has been able to play a role in the county's development as one of America's foremost locations for innovative technology resources and businesses."

May Business Read
Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything
by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams
Call #: 658.046/TAPSC

Tapscott (management, Univ. of Toronto; The Digital Economy)and Williams give readers a thoughtful look into the future through their study of the collaborative environment that has revolutionized business today. Tapscott's New Paradigm think tank, where Williams works as research director, sought out companies and individuals having a significant impact on industries based on their openness, peer production, information sharing, and global action. The result is a forward-looking economic model wherein connected individuals engage with companies in web-based communities to embrace a new art and science of productivity and innovation called wikinomics. The authors discuss several Web 2.0 applications and the need for open-source software and open-access publishing to achieve success. In-depth profiles of companies and individuals make the book helpful for all types of businesses. The book was even written in a collaborative spirit, as the authors polled the public for suggestions on the subtitle through an online forum and encouraged readers to participate in blogs and wikis pertaining to the book. (Review taken from Library Journal, by Mark McCallon)

Search for and reserve Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything at the Arlington County Library. Search for call number 658.046/TAPSC. Need a library card? Apply Online

Plateau Systems Named Red Herring 100 Winner Plateau Systems, a leading provider of software for developing, managing, rewarding and optimizing organizational talent, announced that it has been named to the Red Herring 100, an award given to the 100 most promising private North American technology companies.

IBM Teams With The Nature Conservancy to Conserve Major River Systems Working through The Nature Conservancy's Great Rivers Partnership, the two organizations will build a new computer-modeling framework that will allow users to simulate the behavior of river basins around the world, helping inform policy and management decisions that conserve the natural environment and benefit the people who rely on these resources.

Health Net's Government Operations Division Announces Executive Appointments Donna Hoffmeier has been appointed to the role of Veterans Affairs (VA) Program Officer, and Kelly Craven to the role of Public and Government Affairs Officer, of Health Net Federal Services.

U.S. Navy awards ESN $70 Million for Network-centric Work Engineering Services Network Inc. (ESN) has received a contract award from the U.S. Navy valued at $70 million for engineering, logistics, and technical support for government managed communications systems and networks.

Cyveillance Names Terry Gudaitis Cyber Intelligence Director Terry Gudaitis, PhD joined the company as Cyber Intelligence Director and will focus on the human psychology and security aspects of malicious Internet threats, leading Cyveillance’s efforts in delivering real-time intelligence and forecasting.

Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Subsidiary Plans Public Offering FBR Capital Markets, a subsidiary of Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Group, plans to go public. Up to 13,512,500 shares of common stock will be offered in the IPO at an expected range of $16 to $18 per share, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commision. Based on the registration statement, the offering could generate more than $243 million for Arlington-based FBR Capital Markets, formed in June of last year as the holding company for Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Group’s investment banking, institutional brokerage, research and asset-management businesses.

CACI Awarded $91 Million Task Order to Support U.S. Army Defense Communications and Transmission Systems CACI International Inc. announced that it has been awarded a task order to provide satellite-to-ground telecommunications systems engineering, information technology, and field support services for the Project Manager, Defense Communications and Army Transmission Systems (PM DCATS). The four-year effort has a potential value of $91 million.

Real Estate Development & Lease Announcements

Lease Announcements:

• The United States Patent & Trade Office signed a two-year lease renewal at 2800 Crystal Drive for 160,000 s.f.
• At the end of 2006, development dynamics became even tighter in the Rosslyn Ballston Corridor as two leases were signed three days short of 2007 at the under-construction, Two Liberty Center, located at 4075 Wilson Boulevard, Ballston. The property is now 89 percent pre-leased and will deliver in the fall of 2007. DFI International leased 102,568 s.f. DFI will move from its current space at 1717 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW in the District and Strategic Analysis signed on for 41,000 s.f.
• Integrated Coast Guard Systems signed a five year lease for approximately 25,000 s.f. at 1525 Wilson Boulevard in Rosslyn. The government tenant will occupy the ninth floor of the 12-story, Class A office building. Space at the location is 96.7 percent leased to a variety of government and defense-related corporations, including SAIC, United Defense and the GSA.

Report: Major hotel bookings in 2006 up 8.4% Major hotel bookings increased 8.4% in 2006 compared with the year earlier, according to TravelClick. The service reports about 38.3% of bookings were made online, whereas voice reservations dropped by about 1.5% to make up 26.1% of overall bookings. BusinessWeek/Associated Press (4/18)

Arlington Visitors Center Celebrates National Tourism Week with May 17 Open House Did you know that travel and tourism is a $1.3 trillion industry in the United States, and that it generates $104.9 billion in tax revenue for local, state and federal governments? In fact, according to the Travel Industry Association (TIA), each U.S. household would pay $965 more in taxes without the tax revenue generated by the travel and tourism industry! To learn more about the powerful economic, social and cultural impacts of travel – and to join us in celebrating 30 years of serving Arlington visitors – swing by the Arlington Visitors Center for fun and refreshments between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Thu., May 17. The Center is located at 1301 S. Joyce St. (in the Pentagon Row shopping and entertainment center next to DSW Shoe Warehouse). Themed "Travel & Tourism: America's Front Door," National Tourism Week is held May 12-20.

Save the Date! Next Arlington Concierge College Sessions Slated for June 27 and 28 It’s almost time for the summer sessions of the Arlington Concierge College! Over 40 Arlington and Washington hotel concierges and front-desk personnel attended the first-ever event on March 20, where they visited Arlington’s hip urban villages and had behind-the-scenes tours of the new Signature Theatre and Kettler Capitals Iceplex. Summer participants will be able to choose one of two four-hour sessions, tentatively scheduled for the afternoon/evening of June 27 and 28. Specific details are pending, but it’s safe to say attendees will walk away with countless new shopping, dining and nightlife recommendations for their guests!

Bike the Sites Oasis Announces Spring/Summer Hours Visitors and residents alike can enjoy leisurely rides along the Potomac and to D.C. and Virginia historic attractions on bikes from Bike the Sites Oasis. Located in Rosslyn at the corner of 19th St. and N. Moore, this whimsically designed bike rental kiosk is just a few blocks from the Custis/Mount Vernon Trail and minutes from major Washington and Arlington sites. Bike the Sites Oasis is open Sat. and Sun. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through May 20, and daily (except Wednesdays) from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from May 26 through Aug. 24, then returning to weekend hours through Nov. 4.

Low-cost Airlines Help Keep Dulles Traffic on Ascent Activity at local airports was mixed in February, with Dulles International Airport turning in another strong performance for the start of the year. Dulles served about 1.65 million passengers in February, an increase of nearly 8 percent from about 1.53 million passengers in February 2006, according to a report by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

Cornell Study Finds Restaurateurs Are Leaving Money on the Table Restaurant operators are overlooking a relatively inexpensive way to increase revenue, according to a new study from the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research. An analysis by Gary Thompson, a professor at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, found that a surprising number of restaurant operators could boost their revenue at peak periods just by matching their table mix to their guest mix.

Hoteliers Building Green Properties Independent hotels and major chains have planted a crop of green hotels, with a few beginning to open, that stem from national guidelines constituting environmentally friendly construction. Starwood Capital, Starwood Hotels, InterContinental and Fairmont have green hotel properties under construction or are seeking ways to retrofit existing properties.

Retail Spotlight

What’s Happening in Arlington? Check out Night Out and learn about the diverse mix of events and activities taking place all over Arlington – bookmark this page and keep up on the latest cooking classes, dance lessons, art exhibitions, and much more! If you’re an Arlington business and interested in having your event(s) featured on Night Out (at no cost!), please send an e-mail to jgeisner@arlingtonva.us.

WasabiSito opens in Arlington Arlington welcomes the newest offshoot of the popular DC eatery; Metrocurean, a blog on restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area, serves up the reviews.

Liberty Tavern is Newest Hot-Spot Clarendon, while Vapiano Serves up Cool in Ballston The Liberty Tavern, now open and located next door to the Clarendon Ballroom, is a bar and "modern American restaurant" whose claim to fame is their rustic wood oven fired cuisine brought to you by Chef Liam LaCivita (who won critical acclaim at Centro Italian Grill in Bethesda). Their late night menu will be sure to become a staple in the Clarendon scene, as will their bar which will become the place to grab a drink. The Liberty Tavern is at 3195 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, 703-465-9360.

Vapiano, the first area outpost of the Germany-based pasta franchise is trying to set the tone for a trendy, yet casual dining experience. There are 20 Vapianos around the world--with stores in Istanbul, Vienna, Dubai and Budapest--and they’re making their U.S. debut with three D.C. locations, including Ballston. Can Ballston supply the nightlife needed to keep this restaurant and lounge hip? According to Washingtonian Magazine, "Maybe it's just what we didn't know we needed." Check out Vapiano for lunch and dinner at 4401 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, 703-528-3113.

Signature Theatre's SAVING AIMEE is a "MUST-SEE HIT!" "Stand Up" and cheer for the world premiere musical starring two-time Tony® nominee Carolee Carmello. Washingtonian Magazine says "Broadway veteran Carolee Carmello plays Aimee with passion and a singing voice that could make angels weep." Variety says, "Carolee Carmello blows the construction dust off the Signature Theatre's new MAX Theater." Saving Aimee was written by Kathie Lee Gifford, with music by David Pomeranz and David Friedman and is directed by Eric Schaeffer. Click here for details, times and tickets.

Taste of Arlington' Gears Up for 20th Anniversary Arlington restaurants will face off in the 20th annual Taste of Arlington competition, to be held May 20 in Ballston. Sample all the offerings from noon to 5 p.m; books of six “tastes” cost $20 if purchased in advance, or $25 on the day of the event. To purchase tickets in advance, visit the Taste of Arlington Web site. The deadline to purchase tickets online is May 17.

Small Business Profile:
Upper Crust Gourmet, one of the newest additions to growing list of Ballston restaurants, is a European style coffee shop which opened in December 2006. It features fresh, high quality products from croissants to free range chicken roasted on site. Coffee connoisseurs will appreciate Illy products, and foodies will enjoy European-style desserts and chocolates. Spring and summer will bring smoothies and milkshakes to the menu, plus outside seating and extended hours. Upper Crust Gourmet also offers catering. Owner Damien Chaptinel and chef Laurent Reze both hail from France and have extensive experience in the food industry. They have lived in the Washington area for over 10 years. Visit Upper Crust Gourmet at 1000 N. Randolph Street, Arlington, 703-243-7000.

Small Business News & BizLaunch Events

BizLaunch Events The following events are sponsored by BizLaunch, Arlington's Small Business Assistance Network. Events are free, unless otherwise noted. For more information on BizLaunch program, visit the BizLaunch Web site.

Starting a Business
May 9, 2007, 6-8 p.m.
Arlington Public Library-Central, 1015 N. Quincy St., Auditorium, Arlington.
Thinking about starting your own business? If you have a few ideas, but you’re not sure where to start, this seminar is designed especially for you. Learn how to get a business license, a certificate of occupancy, and state registration. Get access to free tools which can help you write a business plan, develop a marketing strategy and manage financing options. Plus, learn about the organizations that can help you map out your entrepreneurial plans for free. Register online or call (703) 228-0833 for more information.

Nonprofit Financial Management
May 17, 2007, 1-5 p.m.
Arlington Central Library, 1015 North Quincy Street, Arlington.
Fee: Free for Arlington-based nonprofits or nonprofit organization that serve
Arlington; $49 for Center for Nonprofit Advancement Members; $79 for all others.
Gain a better understanding of nonprofit financial basics to best support the nonprofit organization: budgeting, internal controls, cost allocations, understanding indirect costs and forecasting. Learn how to understand and analyze nonprofit financial statements and the importance of providing sound financial information to board of directors and stakeholders. Register online or call (202) 457-0540 for more information.

Starting a Business
June 7, 2007, 6-8 p.m.
Arlington Public Library-Central, 1015 N.Quincy St., Auditorium, Arlington.
Thinking about starting your own business? If you have a few ideas, but you’re not sure where to start, this seminar is designed especially for you. Learn how to get a business license, a certificate of occupancy, and state registration. Get access to free tools which can help you write a business plan, develop a marketing strategy and manage financing options. Plus, learn about the organizations that can help you map out your entrepreneurial plans for free. Register online or call (703) 228-0833 for more information.

Fundraising 101 for Nonprofits
June 13, 2007, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Arlington Central Library, 1015 North Quincy Street, Arlington.
Fee: Free for Arlington-based nonprofits or nonprofit organization that serve Arlington; $49 for Center for Nonprofit Advancement Members; $79 for all others.
Understand the place of fundraising in the financing of nonprofits. Fundraising is an important function in any nonprofit organization and building skills in this area will ensure success into the future. This class will look at where money comes from (individuals, corporations, foundations, combined funds and government) and how a variety of approaches to building these relationships can reap results: fund-raising planning, research of funding resources and building a diversified funding base. Register online or call (202) 457-0540 for more information.

Trade Winds Forum, May 15-16 The U.S. Commerce Department invites American companies to participate in a major export event to include U.S. Senior Commercial Officers from American embassies across Africa, Europe, and India. The Trade Winds Forum will be held in Arlington, May 15-16, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency, 2799 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA. Access to this many markets in a single location is a unique opportunity for U.S. firms.

ECDC's Celebrating 24 Years of Service to the Community, May 22 ECDC has been serving newcomers to America since 1983. To celebrate our 24 years of service to the community and to raise awareness of the socio-economic adjustment needs of those we serve, ECDC will be hosing a banquet on Tuesday, May 22, 2007, at the Sheraton National Hotel, 900 South Orme Street, Arlington, VA 22201 from 6:30-11:30 p.m. For more information, call (703) 685-0510.

Technopolicy Network Annual Conference, June 7-8 Science Based Regional Development has become an international process. The Fourth Annual Conference of the Technopolicy Network will focus on international strategies and cooperation. The program will feature a keynote presentation by Richard Florida. At the Sheraton Premiere at Tysons Corner Hotel, 8661 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, Virginia 22182.

Exploring Excellence in Sustainable Architecture and Design, June 14 Can “green” buildings be beautiful? On June 14th, 2007, the third installment of Arlington’s Architecture Speaker Series will explore this question. The program features Travis Price III and Susan C. Piedmont-Palladino, two well-known design professionals who will explore how sustainable architecture can contribute to design excellence in the civic realm, while creating energy efficient, resource efficient, and environmentally sensitive buildings where people live, work, and play. The event will take place on Thursday, June 14, 2007, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. at the Rosslyn Spectrum Theater, 1611 North Kent Street, Arlington, VA 22209.

Save the Date! 31st Annual Ibero Chamber of Commerce Gala, June 14 at the Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D.C. from 6:30-9:00 p.m. Sponsored by the Greater Washington Ibero Chamber of Commerce. This event will feature a keynote address by The Honorable Adrian M. Fenty, Mayor of Washington, D.C.