For the Record – Northern Virginia, November 2013

The Center for Innovative Technology and Virginia Tech announced a new partnership in September during the opening of Mach37, a Northern Virginia-based cybersecurity accelerator. The organizations will develop a virtualized test environment housed in the Hume Center at Virginia Tech’s Research Center in Arlington. The goal is to open the cyber test range by next fall for use by companies entering the Mach37 program and university research projects.  Access to the test facility will be network-enabled to allow testers to remain at their company location. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

During the second quarter, 60 companies announced expansion or relocation plans that are expected to add 1,400 jobs in Fairfax County. The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) said in September that most of these businesses are in the information technology and professional services sectors, while seven are foreign-based firms. The announcements included Amazon Web Services, which designs and offers IT infrastructure services to business and government customers. It plans to add 500 jobs. Ampcus, a professional services and IT firm, also is adding 96 jobs, while Navigant Consulting, a business consulting services company, is adding 50. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

Warrenton-based Fauquier Health and Brentwood, Tenn.-based LifePoint Hospitals have signed a definitive agreement that gives LifePoint 80 percent ownership of Fauquier Health’s assets. The agreement is subject to approval by the Virginia attorney general. Under terms of the agreement, LifePoint would own 80 percent of the joint venture, while Fauquier Health and the Warrenton community would have a 20 percent ownership stake. Financial terms of the agreement were not released. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

McLean-based Iridium Communications, named No. 70 on Fortune’s list of 100 fastest-growing companies. Iridium is a technology company with three-year average growth rates of 38 percent in revenue, 69 percent in profit and -8 percent in total return. It had revenue of $379 million and net income of $65.5 million in its most recent four quarters. Companies are ranked by revenue growth rate, earnings per share growth rate and three-year annualized total return for the period ended June 28, 2013. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

Long & Foster Real Estate Inc. has acquired Bravo, a RE/MAX franchise specializing in residential real estate in Spotsylvania, Fredericksburg and Stafford. Bravo holds the No. 4 position in the Fredericksburg area and employs more than 40 people. The company was founded in 2009 by Jane Wallace and Kevin McGrath. The Bravo team will operate out of out of Long & Foster’s Fredericksburg office at 1910 William St. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

The doors opened in late August for the $100 million-plus Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg. More than 10 years in the making, the 340-acre resort is the project of Sheila C. Johnson, a well-known business executive, entrepreneur and philanthropist who lives in Middleburg. Salamander is the first new resort to open in Virginia in years and among the few to open in the country this year. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

Government contractor Spry Methods Inc. of Arlington acquired James Secure Solutions Inc. to expand its cybersecurity business. James Secure Solutions (JSS) is a woman-owned government contractor based in Alexandria. JSS provides cybersecurity, information assurance and continuous monitoring to the federal intelligence community, Department of Defense and federal law enforcement agencies. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

Virginia officials say electric car maker Tesla Motors can apply to operate a dealership in Northern Virginia. The decision reverses a previous ruling by Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Richard Holcomb. State law requires manufacturers to sell cars through a dealer, unless the manufacturer can show that no dealer is available. Tesla sought an exception, saying its unique marketing strategy would not be attractive to a traditional dealer. Customers would use touch screens to customize options and order a car.  (The Associated Press)

Reston-based Transaction Network Services acquired Toronto-based RoamEx, a telecommunications roaming services company. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. TNS provides data communications services. TNS said RoamEx’s fraud prevention and mitigation platform will become a key element of the TNS roaming services portfolio, which enables wireless phone subscribers to travel outside of their home market and make phone calls, access the Internet and receive email. (VirginiaBusiness.com)