September 8, 2006
Volume 6, No. 3, 2006

At an August 15^th Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, Synchrony Industrial Controls, Inc., a Vinton-based company specializing in the integration of controls and information systems, announced that it has changed its name to Sunapsys, Inc. This follows a recent relocation to the Vinton Industrial Park (VIP) from the Southwest Industrial Park facility that it shared with its sister company, Synchrony, Inc.

Chief Technology Officer Ron Davis, Chief Operating Officer Mack McGhee, and Founder & Chairman Dr. Victor Iannello unveil the sign of their company's new name at the new location in Vinton Industrial Park.

“For some time, there were operating efficiencies for the two groups to share a common corporate infrastructure and name,” said Victor Iannello, Co-Founder and Chairman of Sunapsys. “However, growth has allowed each group to develop its own identity within its respective market space.“  Sunapsys worked closely with the Town of Vinton and Roanoke County to find a suitable site to relocate its operations. Its location at 850 Third Street in the VIP provides the office space, manufacturing facility, and land to accommodate its current needs and future growth. Dr. Iannello completed his comments with the following statement “Make no doubt about it, Vinton is a very cool place for a technology company to be.”

The Sunapsys executive team and employees are joined by Mayor Bradley Grose and members of Vinton's Town Council, Vinton Chamber of Commerce President Anthony Conner and Roanoke County Supervisor Mike Altizer for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.

The name Sunapsys was developed internally by a group of employees charged with renaming the organization. Sunapsys is a derivation of “synapse,” which transmits impulses between neurons in the central nervous system, and are essential elements of both cognitive thought and control of the human body. Similarly, the systems built by Sunapsys provide the intelligence and the control for manufacturing plants and water facilities.  In May 2006, Sunapsys became the first systems integration firm in Virginia to become certified by the Control System Integrators Association (www.controlsys.org), an international organization charged with establishing the best practices for systems integration businesses.  More information about Sunapsys, Inc. can be obtained by visiting the company’s website, www.sunapsys.com.

The Panera Bread team is joined by representatives of the Military Family Support Center and Roanoke County for the ribbon cutting ceremony during the Grand Opening on July 31st.

During the Grand Opening Ceremony,
the Color Guard prepares to raise the
flag on the new Panera Bread location.

Ten days after the grand opening of the first Panera Bread in the Roanoke Valley, the Roanoke County business broke a nationwide record for first week sales in comparison to approximately 900 other sister stores.  On July 31^st, County officials joined the Blue Ridge Bread franchise to participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony and open the doors of the new Panera Bread to the public.  At the conclusion of the ceremony, the franchise owner, Rick Postle, presented a check for $1,000 to the Military Family Support Center for their work in assisting the families of service men and women serving in the military.

In addition to the investment for renovating this high profile site, the company will create approximately 80 new jobs for area residents.  “We are very excited to welcome our newest business partner, Panera Bread, to Roanoke County,” said Doug Chittum, Roanoke County’s director of economic development. “Their product line and business philosophy is a positive new addition to our retail community and their beautiful new building adds a fresh new presence to the South County shopping district.”

Participating in the Certificate of Appreciation presentation were (L to R) Adam Jackson, Development/Finance Partner; Doug Chittum, Roanoke County Economic Development Director; Rick and Rosemary Postle, Blue Ridge Bread Franchise Owners; Peter Davis, Operations Partner; and Leo George, General Manager.

Panera Bread bakery-cafes are defined by special features like real china, overstuffed chairs and cozy conversation areas.  “Every day, at every bakery-cafe in the country, our artisan bakers handcraft and bake each loaf from scratch, using all-natural ingredients to ensure the highest quality breads,” said Leo George, general manager of the new bakery-cafe.  The café is known for its made-to-order sandwiches, tossed-to-order salads, soup served in bread bowls, a variety of fresh bagels, pastries, sweets and a selection of hot and cold beverages.  In addition, free wireless fidelity (WIFI) Internet access is available.  For more information on the company, visit their website at www.panerabread.com.

Roanoke County Business Partners is introducing a new format to feature business owners with the entrepreneurial spirit. Each entrepreneur tells his/her story that covers the hardships and successes of starting a small business. The unique feature about this program is that all the businesses began in a basement, attic, garage, or in one case, a kitchen! Individuals featured in this segment are:

Roanoke County Business Partners is a quarterly television program on government access television and is produced by the Economic Development Department. The program airs each Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on RVTV Channel 3.

ITT NIGHT VISION

The Norwegian Defence Procurement Division (NDPD) has awarded a contract to ITT Night Vision for night vision systems and the AN/PVS-14 Monocular Night Vision Devices. This procurement represents the largest single night vision contract every awarded by the NDPD and has an initial value of approximately 33 million dollars.

“Our long-standing relationship with the Norwegian customer and their ongoing satisfaction with our high-quality products has allowed us to capture this important night vision contract,” said Larry Curfiss, ITT’s Vice President and Director of Business Development. ITT Night Vision is based in north Roanoke County and is the world’s leading developer, producer and supplier of Generation 3 image intensifier technology for US and allied military forces as well as federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. See their website at www.nightvision.com.

BEN GUI SUSHI

Participating in the Certificate of
Appreciation presentation were
(L to R) Pearl Fu, Local Colors; Elmer
Hodge, County Administrator; Ben
Gui Chen, Owner; and Mike Wray,
Board of Supervisors Chairman.

Ben Gui Chen celebrates the opening
of his new restaurant behind the new sushi bar by creating a favorite from the "Unique Maki" menu entitled
Crazy Cowboy.

Ben Gui Chen was raised in China but trained in Tokyo to be a professional chef. Both his father and grandfather cooked Chinese and Japanese food as the family lived close to the border of Japan in a northern China province. On June 30th, Ben Gui and his wife Jin opened their first restaurant in Old Country Plaza at 4353 Starkey Road. The restaurant is cultivating a reputation for menu originality and the visually appealing presentations.

EL PALENQUE

El Palenque is a unique Mexican restaurant owned and operated by Frank and Yolanda Galvan and their sons, Roberto and Eduardo at 3334 Brambleton Avenue since February. The Galvans are originally from Monterey, Nueva Leon, in northern Mexico and bring this cuisine to south county. The family-owned restaurant is known for its authentic Mexican fare, warm décor enhanced by Mexican art, incredible desserts, and a Flamenco Guitarist on Wednesday nights.