Congratulations to the 26th Annual Occasion for Business & Industry Award Recipients
The 26th Annual Occasion for Business and Industry, hosted by the York County Economic Development Authority (EDA) and the Office of Economic Development (OED), was held at the Great Wolf Lodge, on November 7, 2007, with over 150 people in attendance. Business Appreciation Awards were given to new and recently expanded businesses in recognition for their investment in the County. The 11 businesses recognized added roughly 597,302 square feet of new commercial space and approximately $183 million of new commercial tax base for York County.
In addition to the Business Appreciation awards presented by the EDA, the York County Chamber of Commerce recognized Bay Community Bank as the 2007 Small Business of the Year with an award named after the late John D. “Pete” Sterrett Jr., who was York County’s first Industrial Development Authority Chairman.
Special thanks to our guest speaker, Mr. C. Jones Hooks, President and CEO of the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance, who gave an update on Economic Development in Hampton Roads, and to our reception sponsors; C&F Bank, Dominion Virginia Power, Henderson, Inc., Mid-Atlantic Commercial, Philip Morris USA, Western Refining, and the York County Chamber of Commerce.
Congratulations to each of the eleven 2007 Business Appreciation Award recipients:
• Arby’s – New 3,900 s.f. building – 35 employees
• Auto Haus - New 18,000 s.f. building – 14 employees
• Bojangles – New 3,250 s.f. building – 60 employees
• Colonial Crossings – New 350,000 s.f. building – 200+ employees
• Delta-T Corporation – Renovated 38,000 s.f. building – 331 employees
• Great Wolf Lodge (Expansion) – New 109,000 s.f. building – 100 employees
• Pavilion at Kiln Creek– New 27,000 s.f. building
• Shops at Cedar Valley – New 26,000 s.f. building
• Spain Flex Space – New 7,000 s.f. building
• The Freedom Center – New 8,800 s.f. building – 15 employees
• Victory Trace – New 7,200 s.f. building –15 employees
Biennial Business Retention Survey to be Conducted in January 2008
Two years ago, York County’s Office of Economic Development sent a Business Retention survey to over 1,200 businesses in the County. The purpose of the survey is to identify any needs or specific problems that may be impacting the success or possible expansion of businesses in York County and to gauge our current business climate. We received approximately 215 responses for about a 17 % return rate. While this is a respectable return rate, our office is striving for a greater number of responses in 2008.
Many of you will receive a “Business Retention Survey” during January and February as part of our office’s ongoing expansion and retention efforts. Our office appreciates what your business contributes in the way of jobs for our residents and revenue to our community. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and return it in the envelope provided, fax it to our office, or complete it online.
We are encouraging all businesses who would like to participate in the 2008 Business Retention Survey to fill out the survey on our website at www.yorkcounty.gov/econdev. If this is not an option, please call our office at 890-3317 and we will be happy to send you the survey.
