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John May, CEO, and Jimmie Carter, two of the founders of CID, work through the advanced technology center at Rappahannock Community College, Kilmarnock to attract high tech jobs to the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula.
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One of CID’s current projects is helping to create a partnership with the Lancaster public schools and MTEQ Inc., a Kilmarnock tech company that makes printed circuit boards, electronics and systems integration for commercial and government clients.
Charlotte Silverman, senior project manager for pharmaceutical Medimmune, spends part of her week working in shared office space at the Center for Innovation and Development (CID) on the Rappahannock Community College campus in Kilmarnock.
At CID, she has access to high speed internet and reliable cell phone service, two factors that permit her to work remotely for part of the week, rather than spend all week in Gaithersburg, Maryland. She can conduct conference calls with clients in Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom, and exchange client communications.
“It gives me the work-life balance I want and greater flexibility,” Silverman said.
CID, founded last year, is a public-private partnership to foster economic development through the establishment of an advanced technology center that will, among other efforts, attract more high tech jobs to the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula from the Northern Virginia-DC area—jobs where workers like Silverman can telecommute, live more affordably, and enjoy the quality of life they want. Expansion of high-speed broadband to Kilmarnock has made this possible.
Attracting new jobs to this area is critical. There are few decent paying jobs available for high school and community college graduates in this area. What few jobs there are pay minimum wage (or less) and offer few or no benefits. And, those who go to college seldom return because there aren’t jobs that match their skills and education and offer opportunities for career growth.
For many years, the Northern Neck economy depended on a large influx of retirees who bought large, water-front homes and invested locally, according to Jimmie Carter, a CID founder. But that is no longer the case. “Second homes here are a relic of the past,” Carter said. “We’re trying to create a new driver. We’ve got to create a new pathway.”
To survive and prosper, the community must expand its economic base. And high tech is a new pathway that offers much opportunity and no environmental pollution, according to John May, the driving force behind CID and its CEO.
Robert Stolle, Senior Vice President of Operations for the Center for Innovative Technology and Virginia’s former Secretary of Commerce and Trade, said “CID recognizes that bricks-and-mortar is no longer a successful business model …moving toward technology, software development is … It’s an entrepreneurial approach.”
Several years ago, as a consultant for MCI, May moved 500 high tech jobs from the DC area to Colorado Springs. Those who wanted a change in quality of life and a more affordable lifestyle were thrilled. Now he’s focused on replicating his approach.
“I can’t imagine a better place to live than here,” May said. “NoVA or here? For a middle of the road condo in Northern Virginia, you can buy waterfront property here. And you are only a three-hour drive to your headquarters.”
Stolle said what’s important is to develop the “ecosystem” that supports the growth of a new economy —everything from the schools and restaurants to training, tax incentives and much more.
Last spring, May invited seven high tech CEOs and members of Mindshare, an invitation-only network of high tech entrepreneurs, to a meeting to learn more about CID and its opportunities.
Robert Quartel, chairman and CEO of NTELX and a member of several major tech boards, attended the meeting. “There are advantages for both sides,” said Quartel, who owns a home on Gwynn’s Island.
Hiring workers in the tech field in Northern Virginia is very competitive, he said. It’s an expensive place to live for young families with children. And ‘offshoring’ is not always the answer because some work must be done face to face. “Some workers don’t like the congestion of the Tysons Corner area and would prefer the outdoors of the Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula and Mathews areas,” he said.
“CID could provide the kinds of jobs college students and two-year college students cannot obtain locally,” Quartel said. “It would offer something to bring these young people back, something that is missing now.”
CID also offers advantages from a state perspective, Quartel said, adding, “It can bring technology to commerce, education, agriculture and health care. It makes those parts of the economy more efficient. It raises all boats.”
One of CID’s important initiatives has been to facilitate the formation of the Business Reengineering Corporation (BRC), a for-profit enterprise whose mission is to provide information technology consulting via broad band internet service. The BRC has applied to the Small Business Administration to become a certified HUBZone entity. This will provide BRC with advantages in competing for federal government contracts and sub-contracts, and thus bring jobs to the area. That is just one aspect of the new ecosystem.
One of CID’s current projects is helping to create a partnership with the Lancaster public schools and MTEQ Inc., a Kilmarnock tech company that makes printed circuit boards, electronics and systems integration for commercial and government clients.
This fall and again next spring, MTEQ plans to offer three to five 18-week internships to talented Lancaster High School 11th and 12th graders interested in electronics to teach them to build printed circuit boards, box and cable assemblies. In addition, the students can get hands-on experience learning industry-recognized standards, according to John Frawley, MTEQ’s Operations Manager.
“Our growth is hinged on increasing our talent pool,” said Kumar Sangaran, MTEQ’s Director of Manufacturing and Operations. “These students can get hands-on experience, leading them to an industry certification, and possibly they may be the next folks we will hire. We can train our future employees now with this internship program.”
Sangaran, who is quite enthusiastic about the internship program, said, “MTEQ wins, our schools win, and the community wins.” He has high praise for May and Carter for introducing him to Steve Parker, superintendent of the Lancaster schools.
Parker is equally enthusiastic. “We are very excited to work with MTEQ and the CID to provide this opportunity for our students,” he said. “This is the first step for us in reinventing what high schools look like.”
As the Center grows, there are plans to expand its ecosystem to agriculture, so important to this area, health care and education, May said.
Look for more coverage of this ongoing economic development effort in 2017. Learn more at cid-va.com.