January 2012 Member News and Events

Please help us welcome our new members

• Barnes & Associates: The financial advisors from Barnes & Associates, a financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., have served members of the greater Roanoke-Blacksburg region for years. They are backed by a team of professional who specialize in everything from retirement and tax planning strategies to insurance and asset management. They help their clients to define dreams, develop plans and track their progress.


• Silverback Innovations: Silverback Innovations is a non-traditional product and business development company. They bring together the resources needed to transform ideas into products, and products into success stories.  Silverback Innovations consists of partners with the connections, strength, and vision to help take ideas from the drawing board to the boardroom. In short, they have the resources to make things happen.


• Virpack: VirPack is the leading document management and electronic loan delivery software vendor in the mortgage industry, providing both deployed and software-as-a-service solutions for mortgage lenders nationwide. The company's product development work is all based in the Blacksburg, Virginia office, while the company headquarters are located in Tysons Corner, Virginia.


• WilderWeber: A management consulting firm with a unique difference: strategic marketplace + organization effectiveness know-how combine to deliver proven change management processes which build sustainable advantage.

Member Events

• January 31- February 1, 2012: 1st Virginia Energy Summit & 3rd IAB Meeting:The objective of this meeting is to bring together state agencies and Virgina-based industry with interest in energy technologies to discuss the current status and future business opportunities. Most of the presentations at this meeting will be made by agency and industry representatives. Learn more and register.
   
• February 1st: ITT Exelis: ITT Exelis will host an outplacement program for the 300 workers that were recently laid off. For more information and to inquire about participating in the program, please contact Mike Ayre.
   
• February 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th: RU SBDC Offers Business Plan Curriculum: Radford University Small Business Development Center is offering a 4-week Core Four Business Plan course available to pre-start businesses, early stage, and growing businesses, the course will cover developing your business concept and presentation, business model, and business plan. Information presented is geared toward recruiting team members, attracting investors, and securing equity and debt capital. Tuition is $244. To learn more and register contact David Shanks.
   
• February 7th-9th: D'Ardenne Associates: ISO Courses: D'Ardenne Associates presents an integrated course teaching all related components of a business in one system for easier management and operations. Course includes Quality (ISO 9001), Environmental (ISO 14001) and Occupational Health & Safety (ISO 18001). Learn more and register.
   
• February 15th: Avaya: SW Virginia Chapter of the International Avaya Users Group: All Avaya customers in SW Virginia are encouraged and welcome to attend. Local users group provide us the ability to foster interaction between Avaya customers, form peer groups, offer seminars and training and much more.  It is an end-user driven organization and will be managed and run by newly elected officers. For more information or to register, contact Barbara Rigatti.
   
• March 15th: Varrow Madness 2012: Join Varrow for "Varrow Madness 2012" a conference held at the Westin in Charlotte with customer forums, hands-on labs, breakout sessions and a keynote address from EMC's Chad Sakac. Learn more and register.

Member News

• Dresser-Rand Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Synchrony, Inc.
  Dresser-Rand Group Inc., a global supplier of rotating equipment and aftermarket parts and services, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Synchrony, Inc. Synchrony, headquartered in Roanoke, is a technology development company with a portfolio of world-class technologies and products including active magnetic bearings (AMB), high speed motors and generators, and power electronics for clean, efficient, and reliable rotating machinery. Read more.
   
• PixelOptics Names New President and Chief Executive Officer
  PixelOptics, the world's first electronic focusing eyeglass company, announced the appointment of Brett H. Craig as President and CEO. Mr. Craig brings nearly 14 years of experience in the optical industry to Pixel and is a distinguished leader in the field. Mr. Craig served first as COO, and then most recently as President of Transitions Optical, the world's largest photochromic lens company. Dr. Ronald Blum (founder) will become Chief Visionary Officer.  Read more.
   
• Inorganic Ventures to invest $1.3 million and create jobs
  Inorganic Ventures, a leading manufacturer of custom inorganic chemical blends, will invest $1.3 million to expand its headquarters, manufacturing and distribution operation in Christiansburg. The company will add 20,000 square feet to its current facility and create 21 new jobs. Privately held and founded in 1990, Inorganic Ventures can prepare almost any inorganic chemical blend and can tailor the chemical blend to fit its customers' specifications. Read more.
   
• Technology Entrepreneurs Invited to Enter VTKW Open Business Concept Competition
  The Open Business Concept Competition is a component of the Fourth Annual VT KnowledgeWorks Entrepreneurship Challenge, custom-designed for prospective company founders, entrepreneurs launching or re-vamping a business, growing companies seeking expansion capital, and individuals interested in investing in early-stage companies. The Entrepreneurship Challenge will be held on Wednesday, April 11, 2012.  Read more.
   
• VT KnowledgeWorks will hold open office hours on the Virginia Tech campus in 2012
  In 2012, VT KnowledgeWorks Executive Director, Jim Flowers, will hold open office hours on the Virginia Tech campus for informal chats with prospective entrepreneurs. If you have notions about starting a business, or know of anyone with similar ambitions to bring along, you will be able to pick Jim's brain in the Café X in the ICTAS building. Read more.
   
• D'Ardenne Associates Annouces Two New Partnerships
  D'Ardenne Associates is pleased to announce two new partnerships to help clients improve productivity and better respond to crises. D'Ardenne Associates and Adaptive Technologies, Inc. have teamed up to offer "Six Sigma" expertise through Rebecca Kates. D'Ardenne has also teamed up with tba (the becher agency) to help broaden D'Ardenne Associates expertise in business continuity.
   
• nTelos Business becomes Lumos Networks in SWVA
  nTelos Holdings Corp announced in October that its board of directors had approved the separation of Lumos Networks. On November 1, 2011, NASDAQ officially welcomed Lumos Networks to the market. As is customary with the introduction of all new members to the exchange, NASDAQ displayed a welcome message and the Lumos Networks logo on the iconic MarketSite Tower in the heart of Times Square.
   
• UXB Annouces Munitions Destruction System (MDS)
  UXB has delivered demilitarization services under a small arms control project with the United Nations to mitigate the hazard and associated risks with the storage and movement of unsafe ammunition in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The project provided effective and safe disposal of 58 Areal Fuel Bombs and Areal Fuel Rocket-modified Bombs. Read more