Greater Richmond Partnership projects to create 1,800 jobs

An economic development organization serving the Richmond area worked with a dozen companies during its recently completed fiscal year, supporting the creation of 1,800 jobs.

The Greater Richmond Partnership reported at its annual meeting Tuesday that the 12 new and expanding companies are expected to invest $142 million in their economic development projects.

The Greater Richmond Partnership markets Richmond and the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico to business prospects.

Those prospects included California-based Stone Brewing Co., which announced during the 2014-15 fiscal year that it plans to invest $74 million and hire 288 employees in opening a brewery and bistro in Richmond.

While Stone Brewing represented the biggest investment in the region, Henrico County –based Elephant Insurance, an auto insurance company, had the biggest employment announcement. It plans to hire an additional 1,173 employees over the next few years as part of a $2 million expansion. It currently employs 400 people at its headquarters.

In addition to detailing its economic development results for the fiscal year, the partnership announced the Regional Leadership Circle, a high-level advisory group dedicated to improving the region’s competitiveness.

The partnership’s largest donors have been asked to assist in establishing economic development goals and providing strategic guidance to the group’s board of directors.

Members of Leadership Circle include Altria, BB&T, Bank of America, Capital One, Dominion, Genworth, Markel, New Market, Suntrust, Union Bank & Trust, University of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University, Wells Fargo and WestRock.