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RBTC president leaves for new job
John Philips, president of the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council, has resigned from the post to join Pulaski County-based GALA North America as vice president, RBTC’s board announced Friday. His last day is March 31. Phillips, who holds degrees from Virginia Tech and Virginia Military Institute, joined RBTC in Septembe[...]
Virginia Tech joins Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance
Virginia Tech has joined a group of universities, government agencies and national labs in the Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance, the university announced this week. Led by the University of Maryland, the 24 members of MQA “are building a vibrant and diverse ecosystem designed to foster U.S. and regional leadership in the coming quantum technology revolution,” including […]
Salem construction contractor names project manager
Salem-based general construction firm R.L. Price Construction Inc. announced March 9 that Ben Price has been promoted to project manager. Price has been with the firm, which was founded by his father and grandfather, for eight years. Founded in 1990, the firm’s work has included The Roanoke Times press building, multiple projects at Roanoke College […]
Mack Trucks’ Salem manufacturing facility sells for $12.7M
An Argentinian private equity partnership purchased a 280,900-square-foot manufacturing facility in Salem for $12.7 million. Located at 6450 Technology Drive, the property is leased to the Mack Trucks Inc. division of AB Volvo Group. Mack Trucks employs 250 people at the Roanoke Valley Operations facility in Salem, where it̵[...]
Roanoke, New River Valley organizations form tech alliance
The Valleys Innovation Council (VIC), the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council (RBTC) and the Regional Accelerator and Mentoring Program (RAMP) have formed an alliance called Verge. In July 2020, the three groups announced they were developing the alliance, which is aimed at supporting the region’s technologists, innovators[...]
U.K. software company acquires Blacksburg firm
Nottingham, England-based software company Ideagen plc announced Tuesday it has acquired Blacksburg-based Qualtrax. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. This marks the 21st acquisition for Ideagen, which provides quality management software for aviation, financial services, life science, health care and manufacturing industries. Founded in 1993, Qualtrax provides software that helps companies with managing […][...]
Virginia Tech to lead DoD’s new Acquisition Innovation and Research Center
The U.S. Department of Defense has selected Virginia Tech as one of three schools to lead its new Acquisition Innovation and Research Center (AIRC). The AIRC is funded by the DoD and directed by the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. The goal of the center (which also includes the New [&hell[...]
Va. Tech Transportation Institute director to step down
Tom Dingus, the director of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) for the past 25 years, will step down from his position and return to the faculty, the university announced Monday. The endowed professor has been a driver safety researcher for the past 35 years and has had a keen focus on autonomous technologies for [...]
Roanoke Valley office occupancy increases by 1%
The Roanoke Valley office market saw a 1% increase in office occupancy in 2020, ending the year with an 88% occupancy rate, according to Poe & Cronk Real Estate Group’s 34th Annual Office Market Survey. These figures are a promising sign “in one of the most challenging years in recent memory,” Poe & Cronk states, […]
A diversified portfolio
From tea to trucks to technology, an eclectic blend of industries settled into the Roanoke/New River Valley region in 2020. Some companies brought new operations to the region, while others expanded existing facilities. Traditional Medicinals kicked off 2020 with its January announcement of a new facility in Franklin County, man[...]
Rolling forward
Once a big economic development is announced, it can be years before it comes to fruition. But that wasn’t the case with Mack Trucks Inc., one of North America’s largest producers of heavy-duty trucks, which took only nine months from announcement to starting full production of medium-duty trucks in the Roanoke Valley. In Ja[...]
Roanoke College taps alumna for resource development VP
Roanoke College announced this week it has appointed an alumna to become its new vice president of resource development. Kimberly P. Blair, a 1993 graduate, will join the college on May 22 and serve in President Michael C. Maxey’s Cabinet. Blair is currently Virginia Tech’s assistant vice president of advancement for[...]
