THE ROANOKE REGION OF VIRGINIA

About the Award

For 47 years, the prestigious R&D 100 Awards have identified revolutionary technologies newly introduced to the market. The winning of an R&D 100 Award provides a mark of excellence known to industry, government, and academia as proof that the product is one of the most innovative ideas of the year. Synchrony was a winner in the Mechanical Devices category for it's Fusion Magnetic Bearing.

The Award Winner, Synchrony Inc. Roanoke, VA!

Magnetic bearing systems are common to large compressors and turbines in the oil and gas industries, but great complexity and cost, as well as bulk, has greatly hindered their widespread usage. To help companies experience some of the savings in mechanical wear, energy usage, and the lack of need for lubrication, Synchrony Inc., Roanoke, Va., developed its Fusion Magnetic Bearing. Through design innovations, the complexity of the magnetic bearing system is hidden both to the designer and operator of the machine. The maze of electromagnets, sensors, electronics, and wiring remains internal to the magnetic bearing. The required connections are simply 48 VDC of power and optionally an Ethernet cable. The overall size of the magnetic bearing remains smaller than conventional systems that require an external control system. Sensor data sampling occurs at a rate of 15,000 times per second, which allows the magnetic bearing to provide real-time continuous health monitoring of the rotor-dynamic health of the machine. Vibration data may be presented as time-based waveforms, as spatial orbits, or as spectral data. Conditions that can be identified include unbalance, misalignment, shaft bow, cracked rotor, and seal instabilities.

Visit the Roanoke Region

Tell us what your favorite outdoor activity around Roanoke, VA is!

Ease of access to outdoor amenities seen as lure for jobs, economic growth

ROANOKE, Va. (August 25, 2009) – The Roanoke Regional Partnership, recognizing the outdoors as a way to attract jobs and economic development, is making some impressive gains to leverage the region’s many outdoor amenities.

Until recently, the organization, representing seven communities in Virginia and a population of 300,000, focused primarily on luring businesses with the region’s low cost of living, convenient location, low utility rates, strong work ethic and other factors. In a recent shift, the Roanoke Regional Partnership also began emphasizing an asset that was literally outside but largely untapped.
In the process, it’s leading the way in how an economic development organization is cataloguing, packaging and promoting the great outdoors as a marketing tool to attract workers and companies that value proximity to trails, lakes, rivers and greenways.

“When you mention Roanoke, the first thing people say is how beautiful it is here,” says Beth Doughty, executive director of the Roanoke Regional Partnership. The region is bordered by the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains, with the Appalachian Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, Smith Mountain Lake, Jefferson and George Washington National Forests, and James River within minutes of urban amenities.



“Until recently we’ve overlooked the potential of our natural amenities as an economic engine,” Doughty says. “Not only does that outdoor culture create a vibe that attracts people; it’s an economic sector in itself.”

To better promote its outdoor assets and build the region as an outdoor destination, the Partnership created a new position, director of outdoor branding. In just the first few months, this new emphasis has led to:

• Creation of a vibrant and growing online community through social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter to connect outdoor enthusiasts.

• Cataloguing and mapping of the region’s hiking trails, fishing spots, canoe and kayaking put-ins, bike routes, greenways, mountain bike trails and more
.
• Soon-to-launch new online directory, www.RoanokeOutside.com, about outdoor-related activities, businesses, and events; printable maps; outdoor-related calendar of events; and video and images.


• An outdoor recreation guide to help hotels and bed-and-breakfasts direct guests outside.

• An outdoor festival featuring the Banff Radical Reels adventure film tour on Sept. 30.

• Announcement of the first Blue Ridge Marathon, a calf-cruncher set for April 24, 2010, that climbs to more than 3,500 feet above the Roanoke Valley to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

• A weekly e-newsletter with more than 1,100 subscribers with tips and ideas to enjoy the region’s outdoors.

“We’ve seen tremendous momentum from our efforts. I get the same response from everyone I meet and tell my story – a universal nod followed by ‘this is so needed’ and ‘it’s about time,’ says Pete Eshelman, director of outdoor branding. “I’ve received e-mails from local outdoor stores and outfitters commenting that they’ve experienced the buzz. The outdoors plays a vital role in attracting young professionals, businesses and visitors. The outdoors and environment are important to them and they want to know what opportunities and amenities are available to them. We’ve finally been able to do something about it.”

When business prospects visit, Doughty adds, "After 'hello,' the first thing they say is, 'It's beautiful here.' They ask about bike paths and water sports most importantly," she says. "But to some extent, it's right in front of them. They can see right away the depth of the outdoors opportunities in this market.

“If the Roanoke region becomes Virginia's best place to have a life and have fun outdoors,” Doughty concludes, “I think we'll be in better shape for attracting talent and investments."

To learn more, please visit www.Roanoke.org. or Roanoke Region of Virginia

Check out our temporary Outdoors site: Roanoke Outside

Let us know what you think! leave a comment below!

On Wednesday (August 12, 2009), Bob Goodlatte along with other organizers, announced that there will be a new marathon coming to the Roanoke Region of Virginia, named the Blue Ridge Marathon on the Parkway. The race is set for April 24, 2010, it will cover 16 miles of Mountain climbing as well as 10 miles of city roadways covering parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Roanoke.


"The 26.2-mile course will start at the Taubman Museum of Art in downtown Roanoke, wind up Mill Mountain and onto the parkway. Runners will climb to the top of Roanoke Mountain, cut back down to the Mill Mountain Star and go through parts of downtown Roanoke. The finish line will be in front of the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center."

Marketing to outdoor runners with our beautiful landscapes, we hope to gain 500 to 1,000 runners the first year for the marathon thus, eventually obtaining 3,000 to 5,000 for the years following.

"An economic study conducted for the first running of the Mount Rushmore Marathon reported that the race generated $1.6 million for the local economy, with 1,000 runners," said Pete Eshelman, who is director of outdoor branding for the Roanoke Regional Partnership and co-chairman of the marathon committee with Carlin.

"Also, in the United States, the typical female long distance runner earned $50,000 or more in 2006, while the typical male long distance runner made $75,000 or more, according to Running USA."

"They spend their money when they travel," Eshelman said.

The Roanoke Region hopes the Blue Ridge Marathon on the Parkway becomes a popular destination event. This would bring considerable revenue for the area. Runners often come for a weekend, rent hotel rooms and visit surrounding restaurants. Marathons have grown in number and participants over the past 20 years, with approximately 400 marathons held in 2007 and 412,000 finishers, according to Running USA.

The events that take place surrounding the marathon also are important.

So, mark your calendars and start your training!
Make sure to check out blueridgeparkwaymarathon.com for any details

Virginiawineevent.com is having their annual traditional poll to choose THREE wineries to get named the Favorite Virginia Winery in 2009 award. What comes with it you say? Bragging rights, really big plaque and news coverage! Most importantly, BRAGGING RIGHTS! So, make sure you visit Virginiawineevent.com to cast your vote!

Comment below and let us know how you voted!

Global, customization and technology manufacturing are three core areas of manufacturing the Roanoke Region was recognized for By INDUSTRY WEEK.

Here are the three that were mentioned:

Global. In Roanoke, Australian steel manufacturer and distributor OneSteel Limited has opened a subsidiary called LiteSteel America that produces a cold-formed steel beam for use in residential and light commercial construction. The factory uses process equipment from Italy, Norway and Japan. LiteSteel says its beams are price-competitive but 40% lighter than hot rolled steel or engineered wood of the same spanning capacity.

Customization. Optical Cable Corp. (OCC) has built a $61 million business since 1983 by creating a wide range of fiber-optic cable products, which are known for being able to operate in harsh environments. President and CEO Neil Wilkin tells the story of how a mining customer in West Virginia ran heavy equipment over the cable and hung 400 pounds on it with no damage. In May 2008, OCC acquired SMP Data Communications, a move that added copper and fiber-optic connectivity products to its line and allowed it to become a solutions provider for the enterprise market.



Technology. GE Energy's Salem, Va., facility provides design and system engineering for power generation applications including wind, solar, gasification and nuclear facilities. GE produces 3,000 wind turbines per year. GE Salem is working on projects ranging from an integrated water desalination and power plant in Saudi Arabia to a Duke Energy coal gasification plant in Edwardsport, Ind. But while leading-edge technology is at the heart of this 700-plus-person plant, equally important is an adaptable workforce that has taken lean manufacturing to heart.

Check out more companies in the Region here or at Roanoke Region of Virginia

Nearly 250 projects across the state will be constructed thanks to Recovery Act funding

Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced that more than $1 billion in American Restoration and Recovery Act funding has been allocated for infrastructure projects in Virginia.

The announcement included $2 million in funding for the Roanoke River Greenway. The money will be spent to connect the Tinker Creek and Roanoke River Greenways in the City of Roanoke and to complete sections of the Roanoke River Greenway around Salem’s Moyer Sports Complex.

"These projects are beginning at a time when we are facing a national economic crisis, and they are putting Virginians to work," Governor Kaine said. "The projects also will pay long-term dividends to all of us, in the form of improved bridges and highways, railways and other transit, sewage treatment and drinking water."


Roanoke Region of Virginia

Click here for the locality listing

The Roanoke Region was mentioned on CNNMoney.com.

Cave Spring is a slow-paced, family-oriented community adjacent to the city of Roanoke, a bustling industrial hub. Carillion Health Care, Advance Auto Parts, GE, Toshiba, and ITT have large operations in the area. Virginia Tech is less than an hour away, and several high-tech companies have a presence here too.