Carpetland USA has expanded into the former Ethan Allen building at 4118 Electric Road.  This is the second Carpetland USA store location in Roanoke County for owner Gene Podell.  The 20,000 square foot property is one of the largest floorcovering showrooms in southwest Virginia and the largest in Roanoke.  The store carries over 100 major brand names in floor covering and an extensive seletion of vinyl, hardwood, laminate, ceramic, porcelain, and stone tiles.  A certificate of appreciation was presented to Gene Podell and his Regional Manager, Tom Peters, by Cave Spring Supervisor Mike Wray.

Pictured left to right:  Tom Peters, Regional Manager; Gene Podell, Owner; and Mike Wray, Cave Spring Supervisor.

Integrity Windows and Doors, a leading manufacturer of windows and doors for builders that demand superior performance, reliability and service –  celebrated the grand opening of its new, state-of-the-art 200,000-square-foot manufacturing facility on August 26th. The plant, located in the Valley Gateway Business Park, is expected to create a total of 150 jobs by the end of 2005 and 350 jobs by the end of 2008.     

“With today’s announcement, Integrity is reaffirming its commitment to the customers we serve,” said George Marvin, president of Integrity Windows and Doors.  “By establishing a manufacturing foothold on the East Coast, and increasing our production capacity, we’re better positioned to respond to the needs of our growing customer base with superior products, dependable service and fast, on-time delivery.”      The new plant is the second manufacturing facility for Integrity, which also operates a 400,000-square-foot-plant in Fargo, N.D. That facility employs more than 500 people and has been in operation since 1994.         

Integrity’s windows and doors have earned a national reputation, since their introduction in 1994, in the building products industry for best-in-class performance, reliability and service thanks to a highly-durable pultruded fiberglass material called Ultrex® that makes up the products’ exterior.   The facility currently employs approximately 75 people, and recruitment for an additional employees in a variety of production, technical and professional positions will begin this fall.  Position openings will be advertised through job fairs, community newspapers, and the company’s Web site at http://www.integritywindows.com/.         

The Workforce Services Division of the Virginia Department of Business Assistance has awarded three Roanoke County businesses $189,705 for training programs. 

ITT Night Vision Division recently invested $3,000,000 in new equipment to expand their Roanoke County plant production capacity.   The expansion resulted in the creation of 160 jobs over approximately 9 months and ITT was awarded $90,562.50 from Workforce Services to train new employees. The Night Vision Division is a unit of ITT Industries which is a global engineering and manufacturing company.  ITT Industries, Inc. supplies advanced  technology products and services in key marketing including: fluid and water management and treatment; defense communication, opto-electronics, information technology and services, electronic interconnects and switches; and other special products.

On June 30, 2004, the corporate office of Hanover Direct announced the decision to close The Company Store and The Company Kids and move the Lacrosse, WI, operation to Roanoke County.  It is a $1.5 million capital investment and will create 120 jobs.  The Roanoke County Plant will receive $71,649.60 in training funds from Workforce Services.  Hanover Direct, Inc. and its business units provide quality, branded merchandise through a portfolio of catalogs and e-commerce platforms to consumers, as well as a comprehensive range of Internet, e-commerce, and fulfillment services to businesses. The Company's catalog and Internet portfolio of home fashions, apparel and gift brands include Domestications, The Company Store, Company Kids, Silhouettes, International Male, Scandia Down, and Gump's By Mail.

Beginning in 2002, Precision Fabrics Group (PFG) contacted the state on assistance for an internal expansion.  After a multi-million dollar investment in equipment in 2003, the state awarded PFG $33,330 for retraining 66 employees.  In 2004, they received training assistance of $21,800 for 36 new positions that were hired and trained in 2003-2004.   PFG's Nonwoven Division is an innovative leader in developing, processing and marketing nonwoven fabrics and fabric/film composites. We are a customer-driven business that specializes in designing and manufacturing treated, coated and laminated materials that utilize substrates from our broad network of nonwoven sources.  The fabrics made by PFG are worn by our troops, in clean rooms, hospital emergency rooms, and residential homes.

Commonwealth Tool Specialty has been informed that one company under it's business umbrella, E & W Machine, has qualified for $5,693.03 in training funds from the state for the creation of up to 7 new job positions.  Commonwealth Tool Specialty, Inc. is a specialty cutting tool distributor with corporate headquarters located in Roanoke, Virginia.  CTS was founded June 1, 1981, by Edward Staley on the premise that a distributor with up to date technical expertise could service high volume manufacturing facilities and would fit a much needed niche in the cutting tool market. 

After a long tenure at Tanglewood Mall, John Norman Clothiers has relocated.  On September 2nd, John Norman moved to The Corners Shopping Center and celebrated a new location in conjunction with a 31-year anniversary of doing business in Roanoke County.  A Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was held on September 29th.

John Norman has been in business in the Roanoke Valley since 1932, when Mr. Norman started the business at the height of the Depression.  The Wendell family purchased John Norman in 1971, but John Norman stayed and worked with the Wendells until shortly before his death in October , 1993.  Jeff Wendell took over the business in 1978 and is still the owner today.

(Pictured above)  Jeff Wendell, family and colleagues celebrate the store opening with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.

(Pictured at right) Cave Spring Supervisor Mike Wray  presents a County Seal lapel pin to Jeff Wendell in honor of his new business location.

Windsor Gifts is one of Roanoke County’s newest businesses and is located at 3534 Brambleton Avenue.  The store celebrated its Grand Re-Opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony on September 8th. A certificate of appreciation was presented to the owner, Coley Nelson, on behalf of Roanoke County by Board of Supervisor members Mike Wray and Joe McNamara. Windsor Gifts is a neighborhood gift and gourmet authority that prides itself on gifts with a Virginia tradition.  

Pictured at left:  Joe McNamara, Coley Nelson, and Mike Wray.

West Motor Sales, a new County business on Route 220, raised more than $1,200 for the care of sick children at its lemonade stand last weekend at the Roanoke Symphony Polo Cup and its dealership.  The fundraiser honors Volvo for Life Hero Alexandra Scott of Philadelphia, who died in August before realizing her dream of raising $1,000,000 with her lemonade stand to help find a cure for childhood cancer. 

Locally, proceeds will benefit Project Access, an organization of Roanoke Valley physicians who volunteer their time to treat low-income, uninsured patients. 

Pictured from left - Kate Ellman, Project Access coordinator; Frank Cotter, M.D., Project Access president; Vincent Fore, West Motor Sales parts associate; David Durham, M.D., ProjectAccess board member; and Jeff Webb, West Motors general manager.

The 18th Annual Small Business Awards were held on Tuesday, October 5, 2004, at The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center. The awards were presented by the Small Business Development Council of the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce. 

Award nominees and winners from Roanoke County are listed by award category:

Bob Archer, President of Blue Ridge Beverage Company, was named Small Business Advocate of the Year.  Bob is the charter recipient of this award as 2004 was the first year for presentation by the Roanoke Regional Chamer of Commerce.

Structures Design/Build has been recognized by the Aurora Awards in Tallahassee as the 2004 winner in the commercial project category.  The winning entry was chosen from 445 entries submitted from 12 southeastern states.  Structures was also selected by the American Institute of Building Design.  The winning entry for both the Aurora Award and the American Institute of Building Design award was for Valhalla Vineyards' wine tasting facility on Mount Chesnut in Roanoke County.

The 2004 Grand Aurora Award

Commercial Project Category

The 9th Annual Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards for Manufacturers was held in Richmond, VA, on September 22, 2004.  Two Roanoke County companies were recognized for their achievements in implementing the state's pollution prevention policy and to practice environmental stewardship.  The awards banquet is hosted by the Virginia Manufacturers Association. 

Novozymes Biologicals, Inc. received the gold level award for Environmental Products - Smaller Manufacturer.  The award was accepted by Dr. Michael Frodyma, Senior Research Scientist in Research & Development.  Novozymes was presented with a flag designating that they are a Governor's award winner.  “In our vision, we imagine a future where our biological solutions create the necessary balance between better business, a cleaner environment and better lives,” said Ted Melnik, President of Novozymes."

Pictured at right - Dr. Michael Frodyma of Novozymes Biologicals in West County receiving the gold award flag from W. Taylor Murphy, Jr., VA Secretary of Natural Resources, David Paylor, Virginia Deputy Secretary of Natural Resources, and Robert Burnley, Director of Virginia DEQ. 

Southern States Feed Mill in Vinton received the silver level award for Environmental Program - Smaller Manufacturer.  The award was accepted by David Jones, Mill Manager.  Southern States was presented with a crystal globe for achieving silver status at the state level.  Southern States was also the recent recipient of the Advance Auto Parts Recycling Award from the Clean Valley Council of the Roanoke Valley. 

Pictured left to right are Vance Dann, Manager of Environmental Health & Safety for the corporate office of Southern States, David Jones, Vinton Feed Mill Manager, and W. Taylor Murphy, Jr., VA Secretary of Natural Resources.

The current Roanoke County Business Partners' show focuses on the Town of Vinton's new facade program and two types of small business start-up companies.

The television program airs every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. on RVTV Channel 3.