Pictured from Left to Right (front row) Liz Povar, business development director VEDP; Lt Governor Bill Bolling; (second row) Ken Bowmen, Pittsylvania County; Mark Heath Martinsville/Henry County; Tom Rose, Patrick County and Mike Sexton, Halifax County.The Southern Virginia Regional Alliance, with the support of Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) got their first regional marketing effort started at Martinsville Speedway. SVRA is a partnership championed by the Lt. Governor that includes Halifax, Henry, Patrick and Pittsylvania counties as well as the cities of Martinsville and Danville.

The effort included 10 invited site selection companies as well as companies that are looking to expand or relocate operations and showcased the southern region of Virginia over the weekend of October 22 through the 25. It also included a presentation on the region’s workforce, regional assets such as industrial parks and shell buildings, education and quality of life.

“An effort like this is a massive undertaking and was hugely successful thanks to the involvement of  Lt. Governor Bolling and VEDP. I can’t say enough about how well the regional partners worked together to bring this first event together. I think all of Southern Virginia can be very proud of what was accomplished in the region over the weekend,” said Mike Sexton, Industrial Development Authority of Halifax County Executive Director.

Economic Development directors from throughout the region showed their support of NASCAR driver Jeff Burton, a regional native from South Boston, and presented Lt Governor Bolling with a jacket as a thank you for his support of the region.