Hampton Roads News 
HR Partnership | August 31, 2010
Click HERE for a complete Hampton Roads Resource Page on Joint Forces Command with links to organizations such as the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance, local and state resources such as Congressman Forbes webpage, regional strategies such as Vision Hampton Roads and the Hampton Roads Modeling and Simulation Strategy 2020, events such as MODSIM World 2010, JFCOM news and more…
HR Partnership | August 19, 2010
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| Defense Secretary Robert Gates August 2010; Photo credit: AP. |
Sooner or later it was bound to happen, as even a hyperpower has limits. After nine years, the United States is reassessing its commitment to the longest war it has to date prosecuted. Monday’s announcement by Defense Secretary Robert Gates of budget cuts, a personnel freeze and the dissolution of the U.S. Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) represents the beginning of a marked change in how America will protect itself and how it calculates priorities within our nation’s defense.
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by Sebestyén L.V. Gorka posted on the New Atlanticist Policy and Analysis Blog on August 16, 2010 |
Coming as these decisions do a matter of days after the wholesale disclosure of classified information by a renegade website and the launch of a series of investigative reports by a national daily into waste and redundancy within the intelligence community, they will satisfy two different constituencies: those which favor a less activist national security sector and those who, whilst more hawkish of persuasion, support a leaner and more efficient national defense establishment.
However, the merits of Secretary Gates’ proposed austerity measures cannot be gauged in terms of dollars and cents alone. Any such large-scale alteration to how an administration invests in the security of the country must by its nature have doctrinal as well as operational consequences. Especially the decision that has been institutionally the easiest to focus upon: the dismantling of the four-star joint command in Norfolk, Va….
HR Partnership | August 18, 2010
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Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABCVA) discusses matters of public transit planning, trends toward downtowns and city centers and the sense of place connection with economic development in the July 2010 issue of Commonwealth Contractor magazine. |
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Representatives from ABC-Virginia will be on hand and magazines available at MegaVention 2010 on August 25th at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. “The Future for Virginia’s Cities Resembles a Charming Past”By Lindsay Minard |
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The term “edge city” debuted in 1991 in Joel Garreau’s EDGE CITY: Life on the New Frontier. With the right amount of epiphany and wit, his stab at describing the 20th century evolution of cities was convincing enough to get baptized urban dictionary-style.
Defined by Garreau, “edge cities” have five million square feet or more of office space, over 600,000 square feet of retail space, an early morning increase in population followed by a significant drop in numbers beginning at 5:00 PM and an aura of being a place with it all; and likely featured, 30 years prior to their current state, a single pump gas station with a sign in the window indicating LAST STOP FOR GAS FOR 50 MILES.
Edge city, the term, had a good run; in 20 years it was snatched from its urban dictionary digs to title a magazine, a café, a website, a video game, its own film, and yes, even a band. But the spotlight is fleeting even for the brightest of trends….
HR Partnership | August 13, 2010
The Hampton Roads region saw slight growth in personal income last year but it still was the highest increase among the nation’s largest metropolitan areas, according to estimates by the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The region, which includes Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Newport News, saw total personal income rise 1.2 percent last year to $66.4 billion. On average, personal income dropped 2.3 percent in 52 metro areas of at least 1 million people.
The Washington, D.C., area also was one of the gainers. Its total personal income rose 1.1 percent to $309 billion. Personal income is defined by the government as income received by persons from all sources.
Richmond, the only other large Virginia metro region in the survey, saw total personal income drop 1.6 percent to $51 billion.
In another measurement of wealth, per-capita income, rose slightly last year in Hampton Roads and Washington: $39,674, up 1 percent, in Hampton Roads and $56,442, up 0.7 percent, in the Washington area. Richmond’s per-capita income declined 2.5 percent to $41, 242. Per-capita income is calculated by dividing total personal income in an area by its resident population.
In a wider Bureau of Economic Analysis survey of 366 metro areas, personal income declined in 223, increased in 134 and remained unchanged in nine.
The survey included seven metro areas in addition to Hampton Roads, Washington and Richmond.
Their estimates were:
From Virginia Business
HR Partnership | August 11, 2010
Hampton Roads ranked 42nd in the nation for exporting goods in 2008, according to a report from a Washington, D.C. think tank.
By Bill Cresenzo, Inside Business, Posted: July 30, 2010
The report, from the Brookings Institution, measures the export output for 100 metro areas in the U.S. It says that Hampton Roads had $6.72 billon in exports, most of it transportation equipment, which made up 38.8 percent of exports out of the area.
The report measures exported goods and services – 8 .7 percent of exports were made up of services, such as management consulting and architectural and medical services.
“Hampton Roads has great export potential,” said Emilia Israte, a senior research analyst with Brookings. “Coming out of the recession, the country needs to focus more on exports as part of the recovery. People in charge of local economic development in Hampton Roads have to focus on exports and have to create an export strategy… government has to create the framework that allows businesses to flourish and export more.”
Hampton Roads has seen significant growth in exports since 2003, Israte said. Exports have grown 11.3 percent each year, compared to the national average of 9.2 percent annually….
HR Partnership | August 10, 2010
Gates: Close Joint Forces Command in Norfolk
August 09, 2010|By Hugh Lessig, Daily Press Military Reporter
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday he intends to close Norfolk-based Joint Forces Command over the next year, sending a shudder through the military and business communities in Hampton Roads.
In a press conference, a tough-talking Gates proposed other cuts as part of a broader effort to rein in military spending. It includes a 10 percent reduction next year in the Pentagon’s use of outside contractors and cutting the number of admirals and generals.
“I am determined to change the way this department has done business for a long time,” he said.
JFCOM, located in Norfolk and Suffolk, was established to train troops from different services to work, communicate and fight together.
It is one of the Defense Department’s 10 combatant commands. Its missions include experimentation, training and developing advanced warfighting concepts. Its 2010 operating budget is $704 million.
In addition to its headquarters in Norfolk, it operates the Joint Warfighting Center in northern Suffolk and has outposts in Newport News, Nevada and Florida. In 2007, it provided about 4,500 high-paying jobs and pumped about $365 million into the local economy according to Old Dominion University.
It is unclear just how many of those jobs would be lost or transferred out of the area. Gates said critical functions of JFCOM would be retained and reassigned elsewhere in the Defense Department….
HR Partnership | August 9, 2010
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As the tough times continue…
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Keynote Speaker: Dr. James V. Koch, President Emeritus and Professor of Economics, Old Dominion University Date: Wednesday, October 6, 2010 Time: 7:45 a.m. Registration; 8:00-9:30 a.m. Breakfast and presentation followed by discussion Location: Norfolk Waterside Marriott |
The Annual State of the Region Address will provide the most comprehensive review of the region’s current economic strengths, challenges, and interrelationships. Engage in discussion with business, community, and government leaders from the 17 communities of greater Hampton Roads. Attendees will receive a copy of “The State of the Region 2010″ produced by the Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University.
For more information, contact Angela Blackwell Carter, Vice President, Leadership Programs for the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, 500 East Main Street, Suite 700, Norfolk, VA 23510 at (757) 664-2528 or Desiree Ellison, Coordinator, Leadership Programs at (757) 664-2516 or dellison@hrccva.com.
HR Partnership | August 6, 2010
What’s the best way to create new jobs? Based on a recent study from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, it’s by stimulating more start-up businesses.
Download and read the complete study.
As the American economy continues to send out mixed signals about recovery, job creation has emerged as the country’s most pressing economic issue. Not only important for employment itself, job growth also drives recovery in other sectors, including housing. But, while hope for spurring the U.S. economy toward recovery focuses squarely on job creation, policy discussions center primarily on measures that would expand job growth in existing companies.
According to the study released by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the current national conversation would be more productively focused on creating a favorable environment for entrepreneurship—and particularly high-growth entrepreneurship—because top-performing companies are the most fertile source of new jobs.
High-Growth Firms and the Future of the American Economy, the third in the Kauffman Foundation Research Series on Firm Formation and Economic Growth, draws on a special tabulation conducted by the Census Bureau at the Kauffman Foundation’s request, calculated from the Business Dynamics Statistics (BDS) database. Author Dane Stangler, a senior analyst with the Kauffman Foundation, found that in any given year, the top-performing 1 percent of firms generate roughly 40 percent of all new jobs.
Further, the study showed, so-called “gazelle” firms (ages three to five) comprise less than 1 percent of all companies, yet generate roughly 10 percent of new jobs in any given year. The “average” firm in the top 1 percent contributes 88 jobs per year, and most end up with between 20 and 249 employees. The average firm in the economy as a whole, on the other hand, adds two or three net new jobs each year….
HR Partnership | August 3, 2010
From Joe Turner, Editor of the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission’s (HRPDC) HR Review and the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization’s (HRTPO) Crossings
This is it.
This is the final paper edition of Hampton Roads Review. As someone who in college participated in the transition of the student newspaper from cut and paste to on-screen computer layouts, it was evident then that a day would come when electronic communications would eclipse print. I just didn’t realize that I would be shepherding such a transition for a publication with a history that is as old as I am. It is an honor to do so, and I am confident that what we have planned for the future electronic Hampton Roads Review will do justice to this publication’s legacy.
In this last print issue, HRPDC staff continues to examine and provide a local view of issues that are receiving national attention. Regional efforts toward greater energy efficiency are discussed on Page four. Keeping with energy, there are discussions in Virginia regarding alternative energy sources, and it’s not offshore wind or drilling. An update on the potential of mining uranium in the Commonwealth is provided on Page eight.
‘Tis the Season; Hurricane Season, that is. Our Emergency Management planners are encouraging everyone to get prepared and participate in the upcoming National Preparedness Month, Page 11. In addition, our staff recently participated in a tabletop exercise for the region’s Chief Administrative Officers regarding decision making during a catastrophic event, using a Category 3 hurricane as the event, Page 12.
Click on HR Review cover graphic for a PDF file of the Summer 2010 issue.
Just as the HRPDC’s Hampton Roads Review ends its printed run, so too does CROSSINGS. While not as steeped in tradition, this publication has been well received and noted for the amount of information contained on its pages. The move to electronic format shouldn’t change that. If anything, it should provide the same information and more…with greater frequency.
As this is the final printed edition, HRTPO staff wanted to make it memorable and has stuffed this edition full of information. There are updates on the results of the most recent General Assembly’s action with regard to transportation, Page 18. Numerous hot topic items are also represented. Want to know what’s transpiring with regard to High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail. Check out Page 16. What about the Project Prioritization tool? It’s about to get its first use as part of the 2034 Long-Range Transportation Planning process, see Page 9.
In addition to the hot topics, staff continues to work more traditional items. Two corridor studies for roads in Suffolk were recently completed, Page 12. Staff has been researching regional land use planning initiatives across the US and outside the country in hopes of finding strategies that could aid in the development of a regional land use map for application in various modes of transportation planning in the Hampton Roads region, see Page 7. Finally, as it is hurricane season, staff has provided a reminder about evacuation routes should a hurricane threaten the region, see Page 13.
I’ll end my note with a final reminder to sign-up for our e-communications so you will not miss the first issue of the new electronic CROSSINGS (http://HRTPO.org) or the first issue of the new electronic Hampton Roads Review (sign up at http://HRPDCVA.gov).
As always, contact me with any comments or suggestions.
Click on Crossings cover graphic for a PDF of the Summer 2010 issue.
HR Partnership | August 3, 2010
Southeastern Virginia Partnership for Regional Transformation (SEVA-PORT) Innovation Index
Download and read the complete SEVA-PORT Innovation Index report.
Virginia’s Southeastern region, centered in Hampton Roads, has a long and distinguished history as an important economic center for Virginia, the Atlantic Coast, and the entire US. The region can trace its modern history back to the Jamestown Settlement of 1607, and, thanks to its unparalleled harbor and port facilities, it has long been a leading center for the US Navy and related defense purposes.
The military and defense‐related industries have always served as the region’s economic anchors, and continue to do so today. However, the 21st century Hampton Roads economy diverges from past patterns because of its growing sophistication and diversity. The region is no longer simply a “Navy Town;” it is becoming a thriving hub of innovation and entrepreneurship. Today, the Hampton Roads metropolitan area is home to more than 1.7 million people, making it the 35th largest metropolitan area in the US. The wider Southeastern Virginia region is home to more than 2.3 million.
The region’s growing economic prosperity and dynamism did not simply emerge out of thin air. It has been the result of conscious effort by regional leaders who have worked to nurture a strong, innovative, diversified, and resilient economy that builds upon long‐standing connections with defense-related industries to support innovation in a host of industries and clusters. Groups like the Hampton Roads Partnership (HRP), the Hampton Roads Research Partnership, and the Crater Regional Partnership (CRP) have long supported this mission.
Beginning in 2007, these efforts were rapidly accelerated by the creation of the Southeastern Virginia Partnership for Regional Transformation (SEVA‐PORT). SEVA‐PORT was a new regional initiative focused on the critical task of building a stronger talent base in a region encompassing 25 cities and counties located in Southeastern Virginia. Building on promising initiatives focused on local strengths in the modeling and simulation (M&S) sector, and the transportation, warehousing and distribution (TWD) industries, SEVA‐PORT sought to strengthen the region’s talent base with skills and expertise in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics‐related (STEM) disciplines.
The SEVA‐PORT collaborative has operated for nearly three years, and has spawned a host of new economic and workforce development initiatives throughout Southeastern Virginia. This report assesses the SEVA‐PORT legacy, but is also does much more. SEVA‐PORT was an important first step, but more needs to be done.
Thus, this analysis also looks forward and assesses how the region performs in terms of building a strong base for future innovation. It contains a newly created Southeast Virginia STEM Workforce Innovation Index that tracks the region’s performance on several key variables:
This report concludes with suggested steps for building on the progress already made via SEVA-PORT and other regional economic and workforce development initiatives. Specifically, the region should consider the following goals as top priorities for work that will continue to support the legacy of the SEVA‐PORT effort. These initiatives include…
