Above: Travis Staton United Way of Southwest Virginia CEO Addressing the gap between the worlds of education and employment in Southwest Virginia, the United Way of Southwest Virginia is creating a talent pipeline that prepares the region’s emerging workforce for the jobs of tomorrow through the Ignite Program. Ignite connects area schools and students with local employers by deploying two simple strategies ...

BTES CEO Mike Browder welcomes teachers and employers to the March 25 event. More than 70 teachers from the Bristol Tennessee School System were paired with 21 local industries March 25 to learn the educational requirements for job positions in the community. The all-day event began with a breakfast where Bristol Tennessee Essential Services’ (BTES) CEO Dr. Mike Browder welcomed attendees. “Teacher Industry ...

The University of Virginia at Wise is collaborating with several regional partners to launch a new leadership program in Southwest Virginia. SWVA Rise is designed to elevate leadership capacity in the region by strengthening the skillsets of new and emerging leaders in businesses, non-profits, education governmental agencies, local boards, councils and faith-based initiatives. The program will work to provi ...

Above: (L-R) Signature HealthCARE CEO Joe Steier, Johnson City Vice Mayor Joe Wise and Ballad Health Chairman, President and CEO Alan Levine cut the ribbon at Princeton Transitional Care and Assisted Living. Photo by Bill Derby, publisher. The former Northside Hospital site in Johnson City is once again an active component of the region’s healthcare economy. An assisted living center owned and operated by a ...

Above: (L-R) Eric Young, Tazewell County administrator; Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA executive director/general counsel; Melanie Protti-Lawrence, Lawrence Brothers Inc. president; Fernando Protti. Lawrence Brothers Inc. chief executive officer; Maggie Asbury, Tazewell County board of supervisors and VCEDA board member; and Pam Warden, Tazewell County economic development manager. Lawrence Brothers, Inc., a manuf ...

Above: Virginia Governor Ralph Northam and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee The governors of Tennessee and Virginia are both making the case for increased funding for agribusiness. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam last week announced GO Virginia funding in the amount of more than $310,000 for an effort in Lee, Scott and Wise counties is far Southwest Virginia. Under the auspices of the Smart Farming at the Center ...

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Photo courtesy Eastman by Scott Robertson Despite a challenging fourth quarter of 2018, Eastman Chairman and CEO Mark Costa has doubled down on a year-old statement that the company plans to have $500 million in new revenue growth from innovation in 2020. The 2018 figure was $360 million. “Three-hundred-sixty million dollars in new revenue growth from innovation for our portfolio is actually pretty good,” C ...

Two of the region's oldest and best known architecture and civil engineering firms have merged. Thompson & Litton (T&L) has announced the acquisition of Beeson Lusk & Street (BLS). Both firms have been in existence for more than 60 years. BLS employees have joined Thompson & Litton’s employee-owned operation, which is now doing business as BLS Thompson & Litton. The firm will retain its ...

Above: Jeff Bedard, Crown Laboratories president and CEO Crown Laboratories, Inc. announced this week it will be embarking on a three-year capital improvement plan aimed at upgrading and enhancing its manufacturing capabilities in Johnson City, Tenn. Crown, which is headquartered in Johnson City, is investing in new capital equipment to accommodate current and future expansion opportunities, including a sta ...