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http://www.tricities.com/tristate/tri/news/business.apx.-content-articles-TRI-2007-07-26-0008.html
UVa-Wise hires first
economic development director
Thursday, Jul 26,
2007 - 12:10 AM
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER
WISE – The University
of Virginia’s College at Wise has hired its first economic development
director, college officials announced Wednesday.
Shannon Blevins,
former senior project manager with the Virginia Department of Business
Assistance, was hired to develop and manage the Southwest
Virginia Technology
Development Center
in Lebanon.
Russell County’s Industrial Development
Authority has contracted with the college to manage the center for the next
three years.
"We are delighted
to have Shannon take a leadership role in the college’s ongoing effort to
support the economic development of Southwest Virginia,"
UVa-Wise Chancellor David J. Prior said in a news release. "She is a
proven leader, whose understanding of the region and the interactions between
the private and public sectors will generate significant momentum."
After managerial
positions at AT&T, Nexus Communications and Travelocity.com, Blevins joined
VDBA’s Abingdon office in 2002. Since January 2006, Blevins has coordinated
state, regional and local efforts in support of several high-tech companies in Russell County.
The center will work
with the region’s emerging information technology sector and other businesses
to provide customized training. Blevins will work closely with state, regional
and local economic development officials to ensure that the training center is
helping meet the needs of new and existing businesses, the news release
indicated.
"This move is a
natural progression of the work that I have been doing for the past two years
in support of the Northrop Grumman and CGI projects in the region,"
Blevins said. "I look forward to continuing to work closely with the
region’s new IT employers and existing industry in helping to create a nexus between
government, business and higher education in Southwest
Virginia."
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