FCEDA worked with 133 companies in 2005 that will create 10,452

FIRST QUARTER 2006
2
3
4
5
CHAIRMAN’S
CORNER
FCEDA conducts first
outreach effort in Mexico
Entrepreneurship 101
workshops continue
in 2006
Nine companies choose
Fairfax County for
headquarters in 2005
Success by association
Twenty-six Fairfax firms
make the Fast 50 list
Woman-owned businesses on the rise in
Fairfax County
6
7
8
GETTING TO KNOW . . .
Strategic Thought
FAIRFAX FOCUS
Annandale is our
neighborhood spotlight
QUICK PICKS
CREATING A PREMIER GLOBAL MARKETPLACE
WWW.FAIRFAXCOUNTYEDA.ORG
FCEDA worked with 133 companies
in 2005 that will create 10,452 jobs
I
n 2005, the FCEDA worked with 133
companies that will add 10,452 new jobs
to the local economy within the next 12
months. More than 22,000 jobs were added to
the overall county economy during last year,
according to Dr. Stephen Fuller at the George
Mason University Center for Regional Analysis.
Most of the new jobs are in the information
technology and professional services area,
including the burgeoning homeland and defense
security fields. In addition, nine companies
chose Fairfax County as their corporate
headquarters last year (see related story, page 4).
“Fairfax County continues to be the economic
engine of the region and the state,” said Gerald
L. Gordon, Ph.D., president and CEO of the
FCEDA. “The county’s exceptional quality of
life is supported by our expanded business base.”
Significant job announcements during the year
came from Science Applications International
Corp. (SAIC) (2,027 jobs), Gray Hawk
Systems (270 jobs), Omniplex World Services
(250 jobs) and Ciber, Inc. (250 jobs).
“Fairfax County continues to be the
economic engine of the region and
the state”
— Gerald L. Gordon, Ph.D.,
President and CEO, FCEDA
Business growth helps Fairfax County fund
public services such as a top-ranked public
school system and library, public safety, social
services and park systems that improve the
quality of life.
Fairfax County offers diverse real estate
options, access to domestic and international
markets through Washington Dulles
International Airport, a business community
based on technology and professional services,
and a well-educated workforce.
JOB CREATION continues on page 4
Chairman’s Corner
Welcome to the Fairfax Leader, the quarterly newsletter of the Fairfax County
Economic Development Authority. The Leader replaces the Fairfax Prospectus.
It will be brighter and full of even more news and information about the
FCEDA and about Fairfax County, which continues to be the primary economic
engine of the Washington region and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Please
let the FCEDA know your thoughts about it at info@fceda.org. And please,
pass it along to colleagues who will benefit from knowing more about one of the
country’s most successful economic stories of this generation.
The Fairfax Leader is published quarterly by
the Fairfax County Economic Development
Authority (FCEDA). The FCEDA is an independent
Authority created under state law and operates
under the direction of a Commission appointed
by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Its
mission is to promote an enviable quality of life
and the economic well-being of the people of
Fairfax County by attracting and retaining jobs
and proposing public policies that will enhance
business growth and broaden the tax base.
FCEDA services are available on a confidential,
no-cost basis. Address all correspondence to:
Fairfax County Economic Development Authority,
8300 Boone Boulevard, Suite 450, Vienna, Virginia
22182-2633, Phone 703-790-0600, TTY 711,
Fax 703-893-1269, E-mail LArrington@fceda.org,
URL www.FairfaxCountyEDA.org.
FAIRFAX COUNTY
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
COMMISSIONERS
Steven Davis, Chairman
Michael S. Horwatt, Vice Chairman
Ron Johnson
Mike Lewis
Ann Rodriguez
Sudhakar Shenoy
William Soza
F
airfax County once again
outpaced the nation, the state,
and the region in job creation
and economic growth in 2005. That is
a tremendously important achievement
because job growth fills office space
and generates demand for new office
construction that adds to the commercial
tax base. A larger tax base, in turn, helps
the county Board of Supervisors fund the
award-winning services for which Fairfax
County is known and which support the
county’s high standard of living.
In 2005, the Fairfax County Economic
Development Authority:
•
STAFF
Gerald L. Gordon
President and Chief Executive Officer
Robin Fenner
Vice President, Managment
•
Assisted 23 foreign-owned
companies with their decision to
expand or locate in Fairfax County.
The county now is home to more
than 325 foreign-owned firms.
•
Opened a marketing office in Seoul,
South Korea, to identify and assist
companies from countries in the
vicinity that are interested in starting
operations in the U.S. market.
•
Brought together representatives
from India’s and Israel’s most
prestigious universities as they signed
an agreement to collaborate on
research and academic initiatives.
This happened as part of the
FCEDA’s support of an Indian
Catherine W. Riley
Vice President, Marketing
Director, International Marketing
Barbara Cohen
Director, Administration
Alan Fogg
Director, Communications
Anita Grazer
Director, National Marketing
Ivy G. Richards
Director, Market Research & Real Estate
Karen Smaw
Director, Small & Minority Business Development
LEADER PRODUCTION
Lucy V. Arrington
Editor
Vicki L. Serraino
Graphic Designer
© Copyright 2006
Fairfax County Economic Development Authority
2 FAIRFAX LEADER First Quarter 2006
Worked with 133 companies that
announced they plan to add 10,452
jobs to the county’s economy and
take nearly 1.3 million square feet
of office space. Job additions for the
county were typically high quality,
attractive wage scale positions.
Institutes of Technology conference
in the Washington, D.C., area.
•
Attracted almost 200 business
people to networking and business
development events in the
United Kingdom to describe the
opportunities available for British
businesses considering expansion in
the U.S. market. Private sector allies
in the U.K. sponsored these events.
•
Organized and sponsored business
development seminars for German
information technology and
bioscience companies considering
expansion in the U.S. Private sector
colleagues in Germany co-sponsored
these events.
The objective of retaining and attracting
high quality employers is essential to the
continued vitality of our local economy.
In 2006, the FCEDA will focus on
proactive marketing strategies, including
representation in key locations outside the
U.S. The county must continue to attract
businesses despite our past successes
because of the demand for public services.
Fairfax County has received awards for
being the best-managed jurisdiction in
the U.S., and many county programs have
won national awards. It is the mission of
the FCEDA to ensure that real estate tax
dollars from businesses help the county
continue these public services to a growing
population without having residents bear
proportionately higher costs. ■
news & notables
FCEDA conducts first outreach effort in Mexico
“Fairfax County has been a leader in
attracting foreign-owned firms and
helping them settle in and do business
in the U.S. We are delighted to have a
representative of Fairfax join us on our
trip to tell Fairfax County’s story to
Mexican companies and officials,” said
Albert C. Zapanta, president and CEO
of the U.S.-Mexico Chamber.
“Our goal is to place Fairfax County on
the radar screen of Mexican companies
when they decide to expand into the
U.S. market and create jobs here,” said
Gerald L. Gordon, Ph.D., president and
CEO of the FCEDA. “We want them
to know about the market possibilities
here for their products and services,
about our location near Washington, our
flight connections out of Washington
Dulles International Airport, and the
cosmopolitan quality of life we enjoy
here.” Eleven of the 500 largest Hispanic-
owned businesses in the U.S. are based
in Fairfax County, according to Hispanic
Business magazine, Gordon noted.
The FCEDA has promoted Fairfax
County as a business center in global
markets for more than a decade. The
FCEDA has marketing/investment
representatives in Bangalore, Frankfurt,
London, Seoul and Tel Aviv, and a
business development manager works
with Hispanic-owned companies. ■
During a recent trip to Mexico City, a representative of the FCEDA met with
several senior Mexican government officials.
Photo by Maria McAhron, FCEDA
F
or the first time ever, a staff person
from the FCEDA conducted a
marketing trip to Mexico as part
of a U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce
trade mission to Mexico City in December.
The trip was a unique opportunity to tell
the Mexican business community and
government officials about prospects in the
Fairfax area, especially in the information
technologies and telecommunications
industries. Meetings included talks with
senior Mexican government officials
from the ministries of finance, economy,
transportation and energy and officials
from the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce about potential partnerships
or programs to better solidify business
relationships between Fairfax County
and Mexico.
“Starting a Business in Fairfax County”
workshops for entrepreneurs offered in 2006
I
ndividuals interested in beginning
a business in Fairfax County
should sign up for the popular
“Entrepreneurship 101: Starting a
Business in Fairfax County” seminars.
The workshops are generally held on the
first Tuesday of each month and begin at
8 AM with refreshments and networking.
The FCEDA hosts the monthly sessions
in partnership with the Virginia
Department of Business Assistance
(DBA) and the U.S. Small Business
Administration (SBA). Each session
provides an overview of start-up basics
(licenses and permits); DBA workforce
service and training programs; and SBA
financing and certification resources.
The remaining 2006 dates are March 7,
April 4, May 2, June 6, September 12,
October 3 and November 7. Currently,
there are no workshops scheduled for
July, August or December 2006. The
workshops are free, but pre-registration is
required.
If you are interested in participating, you
can sign up on the FCEDA’s Web site at
www.FairfaxCountyEDA.org/workshop_
form.htm. ■
FAIRFAX LEADER First Quarter 2006 3
news & notables
Nine firms choose Fairfax County
as their corporate headquarters in 2005
T
he past year was notable in that
nine companies that worked
with the FCEDA named Fairfax
County as their corporate headquarters,
including two firms that relocated from
outside the Washington, D.C., area. The
county’s business friendly atmosphere
as well as its proximity to the federal
government played a large role in many
of the location decisions.
“The number of companies that chose
Fairfax County as their corporate
headquarters in 2005 exemplifies the
strength and breadth of the county’s
business community,” said Gerald L.
Gordon, Ph.D., president and CEO
of the FCEDA. “Combined with the
number of expansions during the last
12 months, 2005 was a terrific year for
economic development.”
The companies are: Centurum (65
new jobs added), Digicon Corporation
(70 jobs), Emerging Technologies
Group (ETG), Inc. (15 jobs),
FedBid (35 jobs), Filnet (15 jobs),
Knowledge Consulting Group (95
jobs), OPTIMUS Corporation (234
jobs), SteelCloud (131 jobs) and Triple
Canopy (100 jobs). ■
JOB CREATION continued from cover
Below are the companies that announced new jobs in the fourth quarter of 2005. A selected list of companies that announced
expansions and relocations for last year can be found at www.FairfaxCountyEDA.org/05announce.htm.
Company
Access National Bank/Access National Corp.
Aladdin Books (Korea)
American Systems Corporation (ASC)
Apogen Technologies, Inc.
Basis Technology
CC Pace Systems
Centurum
Commerce Bank/Commerce Bankcorp, Inc.
Deque
Digicon Corporation
ETG, Inc.
HireStrategy
Knowledge Consulting Group/KCG
KumSung USA (Korea)
Language Analysis Systems (LAS)
Metters Industries
MicroTech, LLC
National Glass Association
National Institute for Governmental Purchasing
OPTIMUS Corporation
Professional Landcare Network
Reznick Group
Singapore Technologies Engineering (Singapore)
TC Associates
Technology Integration Group (TIG)
TeleScience International Inc.
Viget Labs
Voxant
Waawoo Technologies (Korea)
4 FAIRFAX LEADER First Quarter 2006
Web Site
www.accessnationalbank.com
www.aladdinus.com
www.2asc.com
www.apogentech.com
www.basistech.com
www.ccpace.com
www.centurum.com
www.commerceonline.com
www.deque.com
www.digicon.com
www.etginc.com
www.hirestrategy.com
www.knowledgecg.com
N/A
www.las-inc.com
www.metters.com
www.microtechllc.com
www.glass.org
www.nigp.org
www.optimuscorp.com
www.landcarenetwork.org
www.reznickgroup.com
www.stengg.com
www.tsystemsgroup.com
www.tig.com
www.telescience.com
www.viget.com
www.voxant.com
www.wow-pen.com
Location
Reston
Annandale
Chantilly
McLean
Herndon
Fairfax
McLean
Vienna
Reston
Herndon
Herndon
Reston
Reston
Vienna
Herndon
McLean
Vienna
McLean
Herndon
McLean
Herndon
Vienna
Herndon
Lorton
Vienna
Vienna
Falls Church
McLean
Vienna
New Jobs
17
8
176
40
6
11
65
150
24
70
15
75
95
1
8
50
50
6
6
175
10
35
170
60
20
10
9
13
1
New/Expansion
Expansion
New to County
Expansion
Expansion
New to County
Expansion
New to County
New to County
Expansion
Expansion
Expansion
Expansion
New to County
New to County
Expansion
Expansion
Expansion
Expansion
Expansion
Relocation/expansion
Expansion
New to County
Expansion
Expansion
New to County
Expansion
Expansion
New to County
New to County
news & notables
Success by
Association
F
airfax County is the location of choice
for nearly 300 trade associations,
professional societies and other
nonprofit groups. Easy access to Washington,
D.C., and Washington Dulles International
Airport are just two reasons why associations
of all sizes have chosen to call Fairfax home.
While many groups are clustered along the
Dulles Toll Road in Herndon, Reston and
Tysons Corner, a significant number are
located in central Fairfax, Annandale and
McLean. Nonprofits in industries as varied
as agriculture, automotive, health care
and technology are located in the county,
including the National Wildlife Federation,
the National Rifle Association and the
American Society of Civil Engineers.
Fairfax County’s advantages appeal to
nonprofits for the same reasons as forprofit companies: proximity to the federal
government and Congressional lawmakers;
a talented and educated workforce, two
airports in northern Virginia, ample office
space and numerous IT and other support
firms. In addition, Fairfax County offers
business tax exemptions for eligible groups
and tax exempt financing for qualifying
associations seeking to purchase a building.
With the forthcoming extension of
Metrorail to Tysons Corner and along
the Dulles corridor, the FCEDA expects
more associations to consider locating in
Fairfax County, says Gerald L. Gordon,
Ph.D., president and CEO of the FCEDA.
“Association executives need easy access to
the nation’s capital and the ability for their
employees to get back and forth to work.
With the extension of Metro, Fairfax County
will be even more attractive to nonprofits.”
As part of its outreach to the Fairfax
County business community, the FCEDA
has a staff member charged specifically with
assisting associations and nonprofits.
For more information, contact Judith Volchko
at jvolchko@fceda.org or at 703-790-0600. A
complete list of associations located in Fairfax
County is available on the FCEDA Web site at
www.FairfaxCountyEDA.org. ■
Twenty-six Fairfax County companies
among fastest growing in D.C. area
Twenty-six Fairfax County-based companies were honored by the Fairfax County
Economic Development Authority for being named among the 50 fastest growing
companies in the Washington, D.C., area by the Washington Business Journal. The
November 2005 event featured Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Michael J.
Schewel and local government officials who presented awards of recognition to the firms.
“These companies are a perfect illustration of the diversified economy in Fairfax
County,” said Gerald L. Gordon, Ph.D., president and CEO of the FCEDA. “In
addition to a number of technology firms, several of the companies are involved
in residential or commercial real estate and the finance and services sectors.”
For a complete list of the fastest growing Fairfax County firms, please visit
www.FairfaxCountyEDA.org/05releases/nov23-05.htm. ■
Woman-owned businesses
in Fairfax County increase
by 18 percent
The number of woman-owned
businesses in Fairfax County jumped
by 18.5 percent between 1997 and
2002, according to the latest figures
from the U.S. Census Bureau. The
29,857 woman-owned businesses
operating in Fairfax County in 2002
is about 21.2 percent of the womanowned businesses in the Washington,
D.C., area and 19 percent of all the
woman-owned businesses in the
Commonwealth of Virginia.
The results are among the latest
findings of the 2002 Economic
Census. Nationwide, the number of
woman-owned businesses grew 20
percent between 1997 and 2002,
twice the national average for all
businesses, according to the report.
The Census Bureau found that
about 86 percent of Fairfax County’s
woman-owned firms are sole
proprietorships. Woman-owned
firms in Fairfax County with
employee payrolls totaled 4,182, a
17.2 percent increase since 1997.
The 2002 figure was 22.5 percent of
the Washington area total and 17.7
percent of the Virginia total. ■
Photo by Kaveh Sardari
FAIRFAX LEADER First Quarter 2006 5
Get to Know …
“Get to Know…” profiles a local company or organization which has recently expanded or has a new
facility in Fairfax County. This quarter, we interview Strategic Thought. If you are interested in having
your company highlighted in a future profile, please contact Lucy Arrington at larrington@fceda.org.
When was your company established?
Strategic Thought was begun in 1987 as
a very technically focused e-engineering
company. It has changed considerably
over the years with an emphasis now
on enterprise application projects and
portal solutions. Our flagship product is
Active Risk Manager, the enterprise risk
management application used worldwide
by some of the biggest corporate names:
Lockheed Martin, Boeing, NASA, UK
Ministry of Defence, Northrop Grumman
and Tubelines and Network Rail.
What is the origin of your company
name?
Strategic Thought was founded in 1987
by Nick Denning who is a former military
man who worked at Logica. He wanted a
name with the same kind of resonance in
the market place as Logica had.
Who owns your company?
Strategic Thought is privately owned and
based in the United Kingdom but with
offices in Fairfax County, Virginia.
business. We have two key business lines:
Active Risk Manager and associated risk
management services; and solutions and
integration services business where we are
an IBM premier business partner.
Who are your primary customers?
For our risk management software our
clients tend to be mid-large companies or
projects within six key sectors: defense,
space, oil and gas, construction, utilities
and transportation.
What sets you apart from your
competitors?
There are a number of factors which fall
into three main areas:
•
What is your main business focus?
Enterprise application projects and
enterprise portal solutions are our
Fair★Fact
Sixteen of the 25
largest technology
employers in the
Washington, D.C.
region are based
in Fairfax County.
(Washington Business Journal)
6 FAIRFAX LEADER First Quarter 2006
•
•
Product—Active Risk Manager
is proven with over 5,000 users
and is the most widely used webbased enterprise risk management
application. It is highly configurable
to ensure that it can be used across
different markets to support
different approaches to risk
management.
Technology—We have the right
mix of technical skills to ensure that
Active Risk Manager is designed,
developed and tested to support
10-10,000 user populations. It is
also flexible enough to ensure that
the risk process does not need to be
changed to fit the software—a novel
approach!
Financial stability and proven track
record for the company.
Where do you see your company in five
years?
Everywhere—Active Risk Manager will be
used throughout the world on all manner
of projects by all manner of companies.
The product will also have been taken up
by corporations focused on doing business
better and managing operational risk and
corporate governance.
How many employees do you have?
We have 62 employees. We are actively
recruiting in Fairfax County.
What are the advantages of your
Fairfax County location?
•
Close proximity to Washington
Dulles International Airport
affording great accessibility to
anywhere in the world.
•
Good proximity to Washington, D.C.
•
Great customer and prospect base in
Fairfax and surrounding area.
•
Easy transport links up to New York.
•
A well educated workforce pool.
•
Affordable living.
Where is your company located
(address, phone number, Web site)?
US address: 12801 Worldgate Drive,
Suite 500, Herndon, VA, 20170,
571-203-7287
UK address: The Old Town Hall, 4
Queen’s Road, London, SW19 8YA
+44 208 410 4000
Online at www.strategicthought.com ■
Fairfax Focus: Annandale
The Annandale area of Fairfax County is a bustling community that straddles the Capital Beltway
in eastern Fairfax County. This diverse business community offers its 71,000 residents a variety of
establishments to work, shop, dine and play. The Central Business District—Annandale Village Center—
has seen notable changes in the last several years as streetscape improvements have enhanced appearances
as well as expedited traffic flow on Columbia Pike and Little River Turnpike.
M
ore and more
businesses are
discovering the
advantages of an Annandale
location. The vacancy rate for
its 1.8 million square feet of
office space dropped by half
between midyear 2005 and
yearend 2005 to 5.7 percent.
Lease rates run between $17 to
$30 per square foot for office
space. The largest employer in the Annandale area is Northern
Virginia Community College, one of the biggest community
colleges in the country. Companies in the technology industry
are discovering the advantages of an Annandale location. Nine
percent of all the businesses in the area are in the technology
field and employ more than 700 people.
A focal point for the Asian community in northern Virginia,
Annandale is home to two Asian commercial financial investment
centers and numerous ethnic restaurants and retail stores.
Wakefield Recreation Center, Annandale Park and Mason District
Park are just three of the many recreations amenities in the area.
For more information on Annandale, visit the Web sites for the
FCEDA (www.FairfaxCountyEDA.org/annandale.htm), Fairfax
County Revitalization (www.fcrevit.org) and the Annandale
Chamber of Commerce (www.annandalechamber.com). ■
A selected list of major employers*
Company
Northern Virginia Community College
Securitas Group
U.S. Investigations Service
Contemporary Nursing Solutions
Anteon
Federal Management Systems
LT Services
Employment Range
1,000+
500 to 999
250 to 499
250 to 499
100 to 249
100 to 249
100 to 249
*ranked by total employment. Source: FCEDA analysis of 2004 Virginia Employment
Commission data
Businesses by Industry Sector
Administrative, Support and Other Services
Educational Services
Healthcare and Social Assistance
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
Retail Trade
Accommodation and Food Services
Finance and Insurance
Construction
Other
19%
13%
12%
10%
9%
8%
8%
7%
14%
Source: FCEDA analysis of 2004 Virginia Employment Commission data
Income
Median Household Income $73,747 (U.S. average = $41,994)
Median Family Income
$82,372 (U.S. average = $50,046)
(1999, zip code 22003, U.S. Census Bureau)
Educational Attainment (25 and older)
Photo by Lucy Arrington, FCEDA
Associate degree
Bachelor’s degree
Graduate or Professional degree
5% (U.S. average = 6%)
28% (U.S. average = 16%)
21% (U.S. average = 9%)
(2000, Annandale Planning District, Fairfax County Department of Systems Management
for Human Services)
Housing
Median estimated market value of owned housing units
The clock tower welcomes visitors to Annandale’s
bustling village center.
All units combined
Single family
Townhouse
Condominium Apartment
$349,000
$377,000
$281,582
$132,727
(2004, Annandale Planning District, Fairfax County Department of Systems Management
for Human Services)
FAIRFAX LEADER First Quarter 2006 7
Quick Picks
… Fairfax County was named the fourth
best county in the country to start
and grow a business by Entrepreneur.
com. The number of young companies
in a jurisdiction as well as how fast the
companies have grown were two of the
criteria used by the business Web site to
establish their “hot” list. Ranking just
ahead of Fairfax County are New York,
NY; Maricopa, AZ; and Fulton, GA.
Visit www.entrepreneur.com for more
information.
… The SkillSource Group (SSG) was
one of 10 organizations nationally
to be awarded funding from the U.S.
Department of Labor to collaborate
with faith- and community-based
organizations. The $327,000 grant will
be distributed to 15 northern Virginia
organizations as part of the SSG’s
Employment Access through Partnerships
and Community Collaboration initiative,
which provides employment assistance
to disadvantaged and underserved
population groups in the area. SSG
is a nonprofit entity of the Northern
Virginia Workforce Investment Board
and is a partner organization in the
Fairfax County Economic Development
Authority’s offices. Visit www.
myskillsource.org for more information
… The most recent advertising
campaign by the FCEDA was honored
with a “Creative Excellence Award”
given by Time Warner/MNI Capital
Region. The “Your Life. Balanced”
campaign touts Fairfax County’s quality
of life through a series of three print
advertisements. Examples of the ads can
be found on the FCEDA’s Web site at
www.FairfaxCountyEDA.org.
… Forty-five Fairfax County-based
information technology companies
received $296.9 million in venture
capital investments in 2005, based on
the PricewaterhouseCoopers/Venture
Economics/National Venture Capital
Association MoneyTree™ Survey. A list
of the companies receiving funding is
available at www.fairfaxcountyeda.org/
ven-05.htm. ■
editor’s note
We hope you enjoyed reading the inaugural issue of the Fairfax Leader, which replaces Prospectus
as the primary newsletter of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority. We are always
interested in receiving thoughts or opinions from our readers. Please feel free to contact Lucy Arrington
(larrington@fceda.org) with any suggestions about the Fairfax Leader.
Fairfax County Economic Development Authority
8300 Boone Boulevard, Suite 450
Vienna, VA 22182-2633
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