More Than 80 Organizations Join Coalition to Support Private-Sector Growth and Job Creation Initiative

RICHMOND – GO Virginia (www.govirginia.org), a campaign initiated by the Virginia Business Higher Education Council (VBHEC) and the Council on Virginia’s Future to foster private-sector growth and job creation through state incentives for regional collaboration by business, education, and government has announced broad-based and bipartisan support across the Commonwealth as legislation is considered by the Virginia General Assembly.

Organizations voicing support for the GO Virginia legislative initiative include more than 50 local and regional organizations, 12 statewide organizations and 18 academic institutions that comprise all four-year public colleges and universities in Virginia as well as the community college system. Additionally, more than 8100 individuals have joined the coalition and signed a petition of support.

“We are extremely pleased to have strong support from the business community, local government and academic stakeholders in all regions of Virginia,” said John O. “Dubby” Wynne, a leader of the GO Virginia coalition who chairs the Hampton Roads Community Foundation and is the retired president and chief executive officer of Landmark Communications. “We feel tremendous momentum as state lawmakers in Richmond review and consider legislation to establish financial incentives for regional collaboration on economic and workforce development.” Information on the proposed legislation and the GO Virginia initiative can be found in the attached legislative fact sheet and at www.govirginia.org

Leaders of organizations endorsing GO Virginia have emphasized the importance of collaboration, the need for Virginia regions to focus on private-sector job creation and growth, and the importance of support at the state level. “Regions don’t grow and prosper along political boundaries. They really grow and prosper along economic boundaries,” said Barry DuVal, president & CEO of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. “GO Virginia presents a unique opportunity for rural Virginia to scale solutions that we already know work in our communities,” said Christy Morton, the executive director of the Virginia Rural Center. “I don’t know that there has ever been a time that was more important for universities, research universities in particular, to be committed to economic development,” said Dr. Michael Rao, president of Virginia Commonwealth University.

Statewide organizations that have joined GO Virginia:

• Council on Virginia’s Future
• National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Virginia
• Virginia21
• Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce
• Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions
• Virginia Business Council
• Virginia Business Higher Education Council
• Virginia Chamber of Commerce
• Virginia Economic Developers Association
• Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Virginia Maritime Association
• Virginia Rural Center

Local and regional organizations that have joined GO Virginia:

• Alexandria Arlington Regional Workforce Council
• Arlington Chamber of Commerce
• Bay Consortium Workforce Development Board, Inc.
• Bristol Chamber of Commerce
• Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission
• Chamber of Commerce of Smyth County
• Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce
• Crater Planning District Commission
• Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commission
• Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce
• Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce
• Fredericksburg Regional Alliance
• Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Richmond Chamber
• Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance
• Hampton Roads Business Roundtable
• Hampton Roads Chamber
• Hampton Roads Community Foundation
• Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance
• Hampton Roads Innovation Collaborative
• Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce
• Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance
• Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission
• Mount Rogers Planning District Commission
• New River Valley Regional Commission
• Northern Neck Planning District Commission
• Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission
• Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce
• Northern Virginia Chamber Partnership
• Northern Virginia Regional Commission
• Northern Virginia Technology Council
• Peninsula Council for Workforce Development
• Petersburg Chamber of Commerce
• Prince William County Chamber of Commerce
• Richmond Management Roundtable
• Richmond Technology Council (RichTech)
• Roanoke Blacksburg Technology Council
• Roanoke Regional Chamber
• Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission
• Round The Mountain: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Network
• Southern Piedmont Technology Council
• Southside Planning District Commission
• SVAM Center for Excellence
• SWVA Workforce Development Board
• The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Music Heritage Trail
• The Montpelier Foundation
• Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission
• Virginia Beach Vision
• Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce
• Virginia’s Gateway Region
• Virginia’s Growth Alliance
• Virginia’s Region 2000 Local Government Council
• West Piedmont Planning District Commission
• Western Virginia Community College Education Foundation

Higher education institutions that have joined GO Virginia:

• Christopher Newport University
• George Mason University
• George Washington University
• James Madison University
• Longwood University
• Norfolk State University
• Old Dominion University
• Radford University
• Richard Bland College
• University of Mary Washington
• University of Virginia
• University of Virginia Wise
• The College of William & Mary
• Virginia Commonwealth University
• Virginia Community College System
• Virginia Military Institute
• Virginia State University
• Virginia Tech

“GO Virginia is gaining broad support because it is incentive-based and relies on funding from growth revenues, re-purposed dollars, and efficiency savings,” said Wynne. “We propose NO new taxes, layers of government, mandates, or changes in local authority. We want to make government more efficient while helping private enterprises in each region grow.”

About the GO Virginia coalition: The coalition is comprised of business and community leaders, partners in education and government, and interested Virginians from across the Commonwealth who support regional cooperation on private-sector growth, job creation, and career readiness. Bipartisan and business-led, the coalition favors state incentives to encourage collaboration among business, education, and government in each region, providing a framework for implementation of the private sector-focused strategies of leading business organizations and political leaders in both parties. Learn more and join the coalition at www.govirginia.org.