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The center's reach spans 16 counties and surrounding cities and has contributed millions to the economy in an area traditionally known for long-gone trades like textile manufacturing, which has gone overseas, and for its role in growing crops like tobacco. The demise of that economy left the area with generations of families where education...

The partners in the venture — Halifax, Pittsylvania, Henry and Patrick counties, and the cities of Danville and Martinsville — offer an abundance of industrial parks, shell buildings and other enticements, and the job of the Alliance will be to sell these regional assets to site selection decision-makers. Bolling expressed optimism that the...

The alliance is a marketing partnership between Henry, Patrick, Pittsylvania and Halifax counties, and the cities of Martinsville and Danville. Leigh Cockram, formerly vice president of the EDC, became the alliance's first director June 15. Cockram said once a lead for a new industrial project is generated, her job is to determine which...

Other areas in the state have similar workforce and incentives. What it will come down to is "product" like available industrial parks, shell buildings and graded shovel-ready sites. One hurdle will be changing the mindset about rural areas because in actuality, the region isn't outdated but progressive, she said. It has major airports within 50...

How to get jobs in Southern Virginia is a question county and city leaders have struggled with for years. They hope part of the solution will come with help from a new economic development alliance. The Southern Virginia Regional Alliance covers four counties and two cities and will look at how to market big businesses in the region. Those...

Approximately 50 government and economic development leaders from the partnering localities attended the kick-off event for the alliance whose purpose is to target concentrated job creation. Bolling has been instrumental in the creation of the alliance from suggesting the regions form a partnership to "dangling a couple hundred thousand dollars...

The Southern Virginia Regional Alliance will place the region on the map for business leaders and prospective companies, leaders say. "I think this is going to be the extra boost we need to take our economic development efforts in Southern Virginia to the next level, and I think we're going to see that pay off over the course of the months and...

Danville, VA (June 2, 2011) - Virginia’s newest regional economic development organization, the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance (SVRA), has hired Leigh Cockram as the organization’s first Director. Cockram is currently the Vice President of the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation, and has been actively involved in the...