1 9 8 0	Business leaders started the Virginia Initiative to explore resource sharing

1 9 8 6	Virginia Initiative lead to the Economic Bridge's study

1 9 8 9	Virginia Economic Bridge Initiative (VEBI) becomes Virginia Economic Bridge

1 9 9 5	Virginia Economic Bridge (VEB) becomes Virginia Economic Bridge, Inc.

1 9 9 6	Virginia's Business Pipeline (VPP) formed

1 9 9 9	Linked Workforce & two Public Education Consortiums formed

2 0 0 0	Pyott-Boone receives Entrepreneurship Award VEB created shared vision

2 0 0 1	Community Audit receiving funding from the New River/Mount Rogers WIB

2 0 0 2	Administrative transition Successful Linked Workforce transaction

2 0 0 3	Launch of new Virginia Economic Bridge, Inc. website

History

Virginia Economic Bridge, Inc. is a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization focused on creating an environment for economic development in today's technologically advanced society. The programs and services used to produce the desired results are a combination of components currently in place: Virginia's Business Pipeline, Entrepreneurship Award, Linked Workforce, Regional GIS Telecommunication Infrastructure Mapping Project, Community Audit, and the Western and Southwestern Virginia Public Education Consortiums.

For nearly 13 years have passed and Virginia Economic Bridge, Inc. has proven its commitment to promoting the economic vitality and external competitiveness of the Commonwealth through business, industry and educational partnerships between Southwestern Virginia, Northern Virginia and other regions in the state.

In the 1980s, an assembly of Virginia's finest leaders, from both the public and private sectors, developed a network to facilitate resource sharing between Northern and Southwestern Virginia. The result was the Virginia Initiative: a simple, yet innovative program designed to bridge cultural and economic differences between the two regions in order for each to capitalize on the other's strengths.

The Virginia Initiative began holding forums to introduce key regional leaders in business, government, education and technology. These forums proved to be highly productive--regional leaders formed strategic alliances, ideas were exchanged, resources from institutes of higher education were utilized, and soon a bridge across Virginia began to form--merging business opportunities and spanning information gaps.

In 1989-1990, the Initiative received funding from the Center for Innovation Technology and Appalachian Region Commission to form the Virginia Economic Bridge. The momentum from the Virginia Initiative provided the foundation for many successes, and in 1995, Virginia Economic Bridge was awarded 501(c) 3 status. Since then, active involvement by community leaders from the public and private sectors has allowed Virginia Economic Bridge, Inc. to further its outreach for more direct contributions in order to increase regional economic growth.

Today, VEB continues to focus on business, economic, and workforce development for the benefit of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Programs include: Virginia's Business Pipeline, Entrepreneurship Award, Linked Workforce, Regional GIS Telecommunication Infrastructure Mapping Project, Community Audit, and the Western and Southwestern Virginia Public Education Consortiums.