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In terms of business activity and economic development wins, 2021 turned out to be a stellar year for the Shenandoah Valley.

“We have exceeded what we anticipated from a business activity perspective,” says Jay Langston, executive director of the Shenandoah Valley Partnership, which promotes economic development from Shenandoah County to Rockbridge County. “When government shut down in 2020, we thought, ‘What in the world are we going to do?’ That lasted about a month. We only saw a temporary blip in business activity, and it came back in a big way.”

Last year, the partnership collaborated with localities and businesses on more than $165 million in investments, expected to bring in 650 jobs. Those deals include a $30 million investment from the D.C.-based Mediterranean restaurant chain Cava to open a processing and packaging facility near Staunton, and bringing in Veronesi Holding S.p.A., an Italian manufacturer and producer of cured meats, which will establish its first U.S. production operation in Rockingham County.

The partnership is finding that some of the measures it adopted during the pandemic are ones it will continue to maintain.

“Doing business the same old way doesn’t work in the current dynamic environment,” Langston says. “The virtual environment allowed us to deliver our message in more efficient ways. Also, we are much more heavily engaged in outreach marketing with high return-on-investment programs, and we are paying much more attention to talent retention and attraction, as well as quality-of-life messaging.”

There is tremendous cohesion in the valley regarding the area’s economic prosperity, even though “sub-regions have different goals and means of achieving them,” Langston says. “We have been blessed by a region that collaborates and works to solve problems.”

Rockingham County and Harrisonburg

“Securing the deal with Veronesi was a substantial win for us,” says Casey Armstrong, assistant county administrator and director of economic development. “It will help to diversify our financial portfolio. We are dependent on the agricultural and food and beverage industry, and this facility will diversify us and makes us more resilient.”

Veronesi plans to invest more than $100 million and create more than 150 jobs during the next four years. The company’s new facility, located in Innovation Village, will be used to age, process and package products for distribution, increasing its cured meat and charcuterie customer base in the U.S. market.

“This is the company’s first facility in the U.S., and it will be their U.S. headquarters,” Armstrong says. “Phase 1 of the project is scheduled to open by the end of 2022 or the first [part] of 2023.”

Merck & Co. Inc.’s $1 billion expansion of its Rockingham County pharmaceutical manufacturing plant, announced in 2019, is underway and is providing revenue for local tradespeople, restaurants and hotels. “They have over 1,000 employees on the job alone,” Armstrong says. “That deal was a big win for us.”

Additionally, Virginia Industrial Plastics Inc. is investing more than $6.5 million to expand its manufacturing facility in the county, a deal announced in September 2021. The plastic thermoforming and fabrication company will add 92 jobs with the expansion, which will allow the company to increase capacity for its company-owned product lines, Cabinet Savers and VIP Golf Cars.

The city of Harrisonburg worked with more international companies last year than in previous years. For example, Sibo Group, a Slovenian manufacturer of closure solutions, will invest $2.6 million to establish its U.S. corporate headquarters and a new manufacturing operation. The project is set to create 24 jobs. 

“Sibo USA has been a great project for Harrisonburg,” says the city’s economic development director, Brian Shull. “The lead was generated by Montebello Packaging, a city manufacturer of plastic tubes for the pharmaceutical and health care industries. Sibo has been supplying caps and closure to Montebello for years, but they were being manufactured in Slovenia and shipped to the Harrisonburg facility. Montebello offered manufacturing space to Sibo within its city facility.”

The city also is assisting with Shenandoah Valley Organic’s construction project, a $65.5 million deal that was inked in 2020 and will create 110 jobs.

The rapidly growing organic chicken company, marketed as Farmer Focus, has reached substantial completion of its 76,000-square-foot retail packaging facility, where production was slated to start in the first quarter of this year.

Augusta County and Waynesboro

Augusta County’s efforts to target advanced manufacturing companies, particularly in the food and beverage industry, paid off in September when Cava, the Washington, D.C.-based fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant chain, announced its decision to open a 57,000-square-foot processing and packaging operation to produce its dips and spreads in Mill Place Commerce Park, the county’s publicly owned business park. Cava plans to invest more than $30 million and create 52 jobs.

“It’s a great fit for the county,” says Rebekah Castle, Augusta’s director of economic development and marketing. “The company is wonderful to work with, and we are looking forward to their opening in the next few years.”

Meanwhile, Waynesboro is in a renaissance phase, working with small local businesses, as well as courting expansions and new development, says Greg Hitchin, the city’s director of economic development and tourism. “We have weathered the storm of COVID-19 pretty well. Most of our manufacturing firms are in hiring mode now.”

Waynesboro, Augusta County and North Carolina-based private developer Mitchener Properties LLC worked together on the sale of the former Ladd Elementary School, which will become Waynesboro Marketplace, scheduled to open this spring or summer.

Another highlight of the year is the Waynesboro campus of Virginia Museum of Natural History. The Virginia General Assembly included funds in its 2022 budget for detailed planning drawings. If all goes as planned, the museum is expected to open in 2025, drawing an expected 65,000 visitors annually, Hitchin says.

Also, electronics manufacturer Virtex added a new product line to its Waynesboro location in 2021, creating about 50 jobs.

Warren, Shenandoah and Winchester

In December 2021, Minnesota-based TFC Poultry LLC said it was investing $31.5 million to establish its second U.S. production facility in Winchester. The project is expected to create 111 jobs. The company is hoping to open the facility this fall.

In December 2020, International Automotive Components Group, a global supplier of automotive components and systems, announced it would invest
$4.6 million to expand its manufacturing operation in the town of Strasburg, creating 47 jobs. The company met its capital investment goals in 2021 and is currently in the midst of hiring, which is expected to be complete by June 2023.

“We foresee a lot of additional growth in our county for 2022 based on current prospect activity,” says Jenna French, Shenandoah County’s director of tourism and economic development.

In Warren County, Montreal-based Nature’s Touch Frozen Foods LLC has broken ground on a $40.3 million expansion, creating an anticipated 67 jobs. The 126,000-square-foot building, which is being built by InterChange Group Inc., should be completed this fall, says Jeff Browne, chair of the Front Royal Warren County Economic Development Authority.

Rockbridge County

Rockbridge County is prioritizing economic growth and developing a strategic economic development plan.

During 2021, the county had two major economic development expansion announcements: White’s Travel Center is investing $8 million to expand its building by 27,250 square feet and reconfigure the parking lot for additional retail and service space. And Modine Manufacturing Co., a thermal system manufacturer, will expand its operations in Rockbridge County with an investment of $7.03 million, adding 60 jobs. The project includes reconfiguring and remodeling the company’s existing warehouse into a manufacturing space.

“This project included participation in the [Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s] Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, which is the first time one of our projects has utilized that program,” says Brandy Flint, the county’s director of economic development. 

Shenandoah Valley’s recent deals

Innovative Refrigeration Systems Inc.

Augusta County

177 jobs

Veronesi Holding S.p.A.

Rockingham County

161 jobs

TFC Poultry LLC

Winchester

111 jobs

Virginia Industrial Plastics Inc.

Rockingham County

92 jobs

Evolve Services Inc.

Frederick County

84 jobs

Nature’s Touch Frozen Foods LLC

Warren County

67 jobs

Modine Manufacturing Co.

Rockbridge County

60 jobs

Cava Group Inc.

Augusta County

52 jobs

Valley Guard Supply LLC

Harrisonburg

45 jobs

Ryzing Technologies LLC

Staunton

31 jobs

Source: Virginia Economic Development Partnership

B-Cubed program aids minority-owned businesses

A minority business assistance program in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County has helped 15 businesses and disbursed $21,700 in grant money in its first year of operation.

With $200,000 in state and federal grant awards announced in October 2021, organizers of the Black- and Brown-Owned Business Growth Program, known as B-Cubed, hope to attract more business owners of color to the region and help existing businesses grow.

Launched in February 2021 as an initiative of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce’s Diversity Business Council, B-Cubed is a partnership also involving James Madison University, Harrisonburg’s Department of Economic Development, the Shenandoah Valley Small Business Development Center and Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance.

Harrisonburg City Council Member Christopher Jones was alarmed when he saw national studies that found Black-owned businesses were failing at a vastly higher rate than white-owned businesses amid the pandemic. Traditional programs to help minority business owners often miss the mark, Jones says, because of barriers such as cumbersome application processes and office hours that aren’t accessible for entrepreneurs working full-time jobs.

“We needed to come up with a program that spoke to Black and brown people and met them where they are,” Jones says.

To gain assistance from B-Cubed, business owners complete a “participation form” — intended to feel more welcoming than an application — and are connected with regional business development groups, the chamber and mentors that can provide networking and business services. 

B-Cubed also provides technical assistance, such as legal, accounting and website development consultations. Participants can receive grants of up to
$3,000 to help implement their business goals. Jones anticipates grant amounts will increase this year.

Tisha McCoy-Ntiamoah, owner of PrePOPsterous Gourmet Popcorn, a Bridgewater-based retail and e-commerce popcorn company, used a B-Cubed grant to improve her company’s website and to work with an attorney to create a nondisclosure/noncompete agreement for her employees. It was an important tool to help grow her business, she says, helping her make new hires without fear of jeopardizing her proprietary recipes.

The B-Cubed team was able to point her to local attorneys who specialize in such work, an example of the value of connecting business owners with established community networking circles.

“Once I received the grant and was ready to work with an attorney, I didn’t have to search for one on my own,” McCoy-Ntiamoah says. “It really took the burden off me.”

Italian meat company bringing 150 jobs to Rockingham County

Italian cured meats manufacturer Veronesi Holding S.p.A., a Gruppo Veronesi company, will invest approximately $100 million to establish its first U.S. production facility in Rockingham County, creating an estimated 150 jobs over the next four years, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday.

The facility will be located on 75.8 acres in the Innovation Village @ Rockingham and used to age, process and package the company’s products.

In July 2018, Northam met with company officials in Italy on an international trade and marketing mission.

“We are pleased that Veronesi Holding S.p.A. chose Virginia, the home of nearly 900 internationally owned businesses, to grow in the U.S.,” Northam said in a statement. “We welcome one of Europe’s leading food and beverage companies to Virginia and Rockingham County and look forward to its success in the commonwealth.”

Headquartered in Verona, Italy, Veronesi Holding S.p.A. is a privately traded company that reported more than 3.1 billion euros in sales in 2020 and has 9,000 employees. The poultry and hog producer’s products range from feed to fresh and cured meats. Veronesi owns the Agricola Italiana Alimentare S.p.A. (AIA) and Negroni brands, the latter of which has produced delicatessen meats for more than a century.

“This is a very ambitious project for us and it marks an important step for our company,” Gruppo Veronesi CEO Luigi Fasoli said in a statement. “We want to start a new chapter in our history and establish in this country our first-ever production site for cured meats abroad, offering Americans all our expertise with the maximum freshness and quality. It is with great enthusiasm that we chose Virginia, where we found all the necessary ingredients to live our American dream.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Rockingham County, the Shenandoah Valley Partnership and the Port of Virginia to secure the project. Northam approved a $3.8 million grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund for the county. Veronesi Holding is eligible for benefits from the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program and a Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit. VEDP’s Virginia Jobs Investment program will provide funding to support employee recruitment and training activities.

 

Virginia Industrial Plastics to grow in Rockingham, adding 92 jobs

Virginia Industrial Plastics Inc. will invest more than $6.5 million to expand its manufacturing facility in Rockingham County, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday.

The plastic thermoforming and fabrication company will add 92 jobs with the expansion.

Virginia Industrial Plastics makes products designed to serve markets such as meat processing, leisure, medical, commercial, transportation, industrial, heavy equipment and agriculture.  The company’s services include tooling and mold creation using wood, synthetics, composites, or aluminum, thermoforming and vacuum forming, CNC operations, value-add assembly, and just-in-time inventory. The company also designs and manufactures mold protectant cabinet liners and after-market parts and accessories for customizing golf cars.

This expansion will allow the company to increase capacity for its company-owned product lines, Cabinet Savers and VIP Golf Cars.

“The Shenandoah Valley has a rich manufacturing history, bolstered by longtime employers like Virginia Industrial Plastics,” Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball said in a statement. “This expansion demonstrates the company’s confidence in Rockingham County, and we thank Virginia Industrial Plastics for providing 21st-century job opportunities for the skilled workforce in the region.”

The company is family-run and was founded more than 40 years ago.

“Virginia Industrial Plastics has helped advance our thriving manufacturing industry throughout its 40-year history in the Commonwealth,” Northam said in a statement. “Virginia earned consecutive titles as the best state for business because companies, like Virginia Industrial Plastics, continue to invest in our people and resources. We look forward to seeing what this investment and expansion will make possible for the company and the commonwealth.”

“Our ability to make products or parts ranging from a couple of inches in size up to 7 feet x 11 feet is a big differentiator from our competitors,” Virginia Industrial Plastics President Ed Fisher said in a statement. “We chose Elkton, Virginia, due to it being geographically close (within 350 miles) to many companies we want to do business with to save on shipping costs. Additionally, Rockingham County has a good source of workers and provides a great quality of life.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Rockingham County to secure the project and will support the company through its Virginia Jobs Investment program.

Shenandoah Growers taps ex-Starbucks exec as new CEO

Rockingham County-based indoor agriculture company Shenandoah Growers Inc. has appointed former Starbucks Inc. Chief Marketing Officer Matthew Ryan as the company’s new CEO. And Mike Buckley, former senior vice president of business for Postmates, has been hired as Shenandoah Growers’ chief financial officer, the company announced Wednesday.

Former Shenandoah Growers CEO Tim Heydon, who stepped down from his post after 20 years helming the company, will continue to be “fully engaged” with Shenandoah Growers in a strategic advisory role to the company’s board of directors, according to a news release.

Mike Buckley. Photo courtesy Shenandoah Growers
Mike Buckley. Photo courtesy Shenandoah Growers

Prior to working for Starbucks, Ryan served as head of brand management at The Walt Disney Co. He sits on the board of Kaiser Permanente and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University. Buckley served as CFO for Nike before he was at Postmates. He received his undergraduate degree from Stanford University and also graduated from Harvard Business School’s General Management Program.

The leadership appointments follow the recent hires of lighting and plant biology expert Tessa Pocock as the company’s chief science officer and former Walmart executive Cameron Geiger as Shenandoah Growers’ chief operating officer.

“When I looked at the booming business of indoor agriculture, Shenandoah Growers stood out as the company with the strongest track record, and the best technical and biological know-how to transform its existing market-leading position into a long-term strategic advantage,” Ryan said in a statement. “My career has been shaped and defined by innovative, market-leading companies. Here, the opportunity for growth could be even greater, as Shenandoah Growers is uniquely positioned to deliver against the converging demand for affordable, high-quality and organic produce, and the need to grow it sustainably and reliably.”

Shenandoah Growers President Philip Karp said, “Matt is a proven leader and strategist with an impressive track record of building strong, competitively advantaged brands in roles at Starbucks and Disney. As Shenandoah Growers seeks to do the same in produce — scaling across many different crops, sales channels and geographies — Matt’s leadership will be invaluable.” He added that the company “is also incredibly fortunate to be retaining the deep institutional knowledge of our outgoing CEO, Tim Heydon. Tim’s vision and steady hand have guided the company’s growth for the past two decades. The strong position we hold today as both a market and technology leader are a credit to Tim, and we are so pleased that he will continue to be an integral part of our team as this journey continues.”

Founded in 1989, Shenandoah Growers provides organic herbs and leafy greens to more than 18,000 retailers nationwide. Billing itself as developing the nation’s largest indoor organic growing systems, the company specializes in indoor vertical farming using hydroponics, aeroponics and aquaponics.

Shenandoah Growers taps new chief science officer

Tessa Pocock has been named Shenandoah Growers Inc.’s new chief science officer effective immediately, coming to the Rockingham County-based indoor agriculture company from San Francisco-based Plenty Unlimited Inc., where she was director of lighting optimization.

Pocock, who holds a Ph.D. in environmental stress biology and master’s degrees in plant biochemistry and biology from Western University in Ontario, Canada, replaces Robert Hoffman, who is now Shenandoah Growers’ CSO emeritus, the company announced Tuesday. She will report to Chief Technology Officer Ulf Jönsson and serve on Shenandoah Growers’ executive leadership team.

“Tessa is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost lighting and plant biology experts. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome her to our proven management team of biologists, technologists and operators,” Shenandoah Growers President Philip Karp said in a statement. “As Shenandoah Growers enters our next phase of transformational growth, Tessa will bring an invaluable perspective, expertise and vision on plant-driven intelligent grow systems to ensure we are well-positioned to capitalize on unmet market demand for sustainable, accessible and organic herbs and produce.”

The company also recently hired Cameron Geiger as chief operating officer and provides organic herbs and leafy greens to more than 18,000 retailers nationwide. Pocock and Jönsson will be focusing on refining lighting technology to boost efficiency and lower costs, as well as expanding the company’s IP portfolio, according to the company’s statement.

Rockingham County produce stand expands to 27-acre facility

Mount Crawford-based Overlook Produce and Farm Adventures will invest more than $850,000 to construct a produce packing facility and retail market pavilion on a 27-acre site in Rockingham County, according to an announcement Wednesday from Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam.

Located off Interstate 81’s Exit 240, the facility will replace Overlook Produce’s roadside produce stand and will offer seasonally available, Virginia-sourced fruits, vegetables, meats, honey, baked goods, flowers, and seafood. It will feature a large open-air market pavilion, greenhouses, pick-your-own strawberry and pumpkin patches, and an expanded warehouse and cold storage facility.

The project will create six new jobs.

Overlook Produce owners Joe Ulmer and his wife Janice are native Shenandoah Valley farmers who opened the roadside stand in 2016 after selling their produce for five years through the Shenandoah Valley Produce Auction.

“Virginia’s agricultural sector is strong because of the entrepreneurial spirit of individuals like Joe and Janice Ulmer,” Northam said in a statement. “Shenandoah Valley residents and those who travel Interstate 81 will be able to enjoy the diverse bounty that Virginia’s farmers and watermen provide through this exciting new venture.”

“We are grateful for the opportunity to expand and better serve our community with local produce,” Joe Ulmer said. “With our expansion, we will now be able to offer a larger variety of all your essential local food items.”

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services worked with Rockingham County and the Rockingham County Economic Development Authority to secure the project. Northam approved a $15,000 grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund to assist with the project. Rockingham County will match the $15,000 grant with local funds.

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Shenandoah Growers picks new COO

Shenandoah Growers Inc. has hired former Walmart executive Cameron Geiger as the company’s chief operating officer, it announced this week.

The Rockingham County-based agricultural products company says Geiger will help lead the company’s next phase of growth.

Geiger, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1989 — the year Shenandoah Growers was founded. He brings more than 30 years of experience in technology, automation and supply chain logistics.

For nearly 19 years, Geiger held a variety of leadership roles at Walmart. He served as senior vice president of supply chain services at Walmart U.S. and as chief information officer at Walmart International.

Shenandoah Growers says it’s developed the largest commercial indoor organic growing systems in the country, and is the largest certified organic indoor farming company, selling in most major U.S. retailers. Its line of fresh herbs and greens is sold under the That’s Tasty brand. The company recently announced an expansion of its transportation fleet, adding 15 dual-temperature trailers.

“Cameron’s wealth of experience managing and continuing to evolve one of the most complex and diverse supply chains in the world, day in and day out, and his reputation for transformation, technology-driven leadership is an exciting addition to the Shenandoah Growers team,” company President Phillip Karp said in a statement.

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$5M donation establishes Bridgewater’s School of Arts and Humanities

A 1962 alumna of Bridgewater College has made a $5 million donation that will establish the Bonnie Forrer and John Harvey Rhodes School of Arts and Humanities, named for the donor and her late husband.

The private college’s first named and endowed school will combine its existing communications, fine arts and literature divisions with its division of humanities and social sciences, Bridgewater announced Wednesday in a news release. A resident of Pennsylvania, Bonnie Rhodes is on the college’s board of trustees and previously made a donation to support the John Kenny Forrer Learning Commons, named for her father. The recent gift will provide new equipment, enable more student research and travel, establish a pre-tenure sabbatical program for faculty and establish an endowed chair for the school.

“John’s world was that of business and finance. I grew up on a farm, and as a child I read voraciously, listened to classical music and tuned into Texaco Metropolitan Opera on the radio every Saturday. This, along with my entire educational experience at BC, helped me understand how the whole world was connected,” Rhodes said in a statement. “As a couple, our lives were so much richer because of our passion for literature, art, music and culture.”

John Rhodes died in January after a long career in real estate development and finance, including serving on Penn National Insurance’s board of directors for 25 years.

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Rockingham County gets a little sweeter

Smiley’s Ice Cream will invest more than $1.15 million to build a new ice cream manufacturing facility and retail store in Rockingham County, creating eight jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday.

The homemade-style ice cream producer will source an additional 18,000 gallons of Virginia-produced dairy and 2,500 pounds of Virginia-grown fruits during the next three years for production.

“We are delighted to support this expansion by Smiley’s Ice Cream, a business that has found its sweet spot by bringing together entrepreneurship, Virginia-grown ingredients and agri-tourism in the Shenandoah Valley,” Northam said in a statement. “The company’s commitment to investing in Virginia farmers and agricultural products will further strengthen this rural economy and create exciting new opportunities in Rockingham County for visitors and residents alike.”

Smiley’s Ice Cream was founded in 2001 and in 2017 opened its first brick-and-mortar store next to Mt. Crawford Creamery, where it still sources ingredients.

“This grant will help with the building of a truly one-of-a-kind ice cream destination for the town of Bridgewater,” founder Derek Smiley said in a statement. “We take great pride in supporting Virginia’s local farms by purchasing locally many of the fresh fruits used to make our ice cream and understand the fresh milk and cream coming from Mt. Crawford Creamery is the backbone of our great ice cream.”

The commonwealth is working with Rockingham County and the Rockingham County Economic Development Authority through the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund. Northam also approved a $20,000 AFID Fund grant to secure the project for Virginia.

 

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