Wait, what?

Berryville sits west of the Blue Ridge mountains and across the Shenandoah River, yet the performing arts juggernaut has hired the DC firm Arent Fox LLP to file suit against the bucolic outpost for the arts.

The suit filed on December 14th 2001 in U.S. District Court in Alexandria states that The Barns of Rose Hill, by the use of its name,  will confuse Wolf Trap’s patrons and concert-goers and thus harm Wolf Trap’s concert and cultural activities business.

In what amounts to a classic David and Goliath story, the Wolf Trap Foundation seems to have made a massive public relations blunder. The community organization they are now suing has an annual budget of $150,000 a number which Ann St. Clair Lesman, Chair of the Board of Directors for The Barns of Rose Hill, says is roughly one-third of the salary for the CEO of the Wolf Trap Foundation.

The genesis of the project and the name has a clear lineage in the Town of Berryville where it stands. “Rose Hill” was a dilapidated farm donated to the town in 1964. In the 1970s civic leaders proposed that it be turned into an arts center.  In 1978 the mansion burned, so the plan shifted to  the property’s two dairy barns.  Over the next forty years, the barns fell into increasing disrepair as the town lacked restoration funds and several citizen efforts fell short.

Then in September 2004, the present group of local volunteers, organized The Barns of Rose Hill as a nonprofit.  In a six year effort, they raised the $2.4 million necessary to transform the old barns into a 21st Century arts and visitors center.   The Barns of Rose Hill is the largest private undertaking in Clarke County, Virginia, and represented a true community effort.

One week after its Grand Opening on September 6, 2011, Wolf Trap attorneys sent The Barns of Rose Hill a letter asserting trademark infringement.

A month later on October 7, 2011, Wolf Trap filed application with the U.S. Trademark Office to attempt to lock down “The Barns.”

Finally a summons was served on The Barns on Thursday January 12, 2012.

Residents are outraged at the lawsuit. Comments are pouring in from all over the area decrying what residents call “Bullying with Cash.”

Unfortunately this may turn out to be a losing battle for the little guy in the fight. Lesman said that the Barns cannot possibly go up against a giant foundation like Wolf Trap in court whose annual operating budget is in the range of $28 million. They have however started a fund to “Save our Name,” and plan to raise money for the fight. For more information visit their website at www.barnsofrosehill.org

The incident occurred at the intersection of Route 50 and Elk Lick Road near South Riding. The investigation revealed a 40-year-old man from Maryland, was driving a Ford F350 pick-up truck that was pulling a tractor on a trailer.  The truck was at the stop sign waiting to turn onto Route 50. The driver pulled out into the roadway in front of a 1993 Mitsubishi 3000 FT.The driver of the Mitsubishi, a 64-year-old Aldie, VA man, struck the trailer portion of the vehicle. He was airlifted to INOVA Fairfax Hospital with what were reported to be non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the pick-up was not injured in the crash. He was charged with failure to yield the right of way.

Burglary –Cooley Gallery

Grand Larceny – Cooley Gallery

Attempted Burglary-Rouge Spa

Attempted Burglary – King Street Coffee

Stroud was held in the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center by the magistrate with no bond.  These incidents remain under investigation at this time.

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The new section of roadway, from Magnolia Road to Church Road, will open to traffic in time for Wednesday morning’s rush.

“This short segment provides an important connection to help reduce Route 28 traffic,” said Susan Shaw, VDOT’s Route 28 program manager. “Atlantic Boulevard significantly improves options for local motorists.”

The new roadway has four lanes, a raised median, and an asphalt multi-purpose trail on the east and a concrete sidewalk on the west. It also features a single-span bridge over the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail with connections to the trail.

The total cost, including preliminary engineering, right of way acquisition, utilities and construction is $24 million.
Although the extension was constructed under the Route 28 PPTA design-build contract, it is state-funded and will be maintained by VDOT when complete. The contractor is Route 28 Corridor Improvements, LLC.

During the traffic stop, the officer was shot and killed. There were witnesses to this shooting.Witnesses reported to police the shooter fled on foot heading toward the Cage, a parking lot near Duck Pond Drive. At that parking lot, a second person was found. That person is also deceased.Several law enforcement agencies have responded to assist. Virginia State Police has been requested to take lead in the investigation.

The status of the shooter is unknown.

via Update: Two People Killed at Va-Tech – Clarke Daily News.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Michael Morehart, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement after the pleas were accepted by the court. Each of the men faces a maximum penalty of 20 years on the bank robbery conspiracy charge and up to life imprisonment on the firearm charge. Tompkins is scheduled to be sentenced on March 2, 2012; Lowery is scheduled to be sentenced on February 24, 2012; and Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on February 24, 2012, all by United States District Judge Henry E. Hudson.

In their statements of facts filed in support of their pleas, each of the men acknowledged involvement in a ring that committed numerous robberies from June 2004 through November 2010 that resulted in the theft of over $1,000,000. Tompkins and Lowery both admitted to participating in 19 of those robberies. Johnson admitted that he joined the conspiracy later and participated in three of the robberies. Earlier this year, Judge Hudson sentenced Mustafa Khalil Naeem, another member of this robbery ring, to 30 years in federal prison for Naeem’s role in this conspiracy.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, in conjunction with the local Police and Sheriff’s Departments for the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia; Fairfax County, Virginia; Charles County, Maryland; Montgomery County, Maryland; Anne Arundel County, Maryland; Howard County, Maryland; Arlington County, Virginia; the City of Alexandria, Virginia; the City of Fairfax, Virginia; the City of Raleigh, North Carolina; and the City of Florence, South Carolina. Assistant United States Attorney Olivia L. Norman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

After it was determined that he was under the influence of alcohol, Babbitt was transported to the Adult Detention Center where a magistrate issued a warrant for driving while intoxicated (Section 18.2-266 of the Code of Virginia). He was placed on a personal recognizance bond.

Babbitt was the sole occupant of his vehicle, which was not involved in a crash with any other object. He cooperated fully with the arresting officer.

John T.C. Yeh, the owner of Viable, a Rockville, Md., company, and his brother, Joseph Yeh, the former vice president for corporate strategy, were also ordered to pay $20 million in restitution to the FCC. Viable pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and was ordered to forfeit $20 million and pay $20 million in restitution to the FCC.

John Yeh, 64, Joseph Yeh, 66, and Viable were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Joel A. Pisano in Trenton, N.J. Both executives were indicted on Nov. 19, 2009, along with Viable and other employees of Viable, and pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail fraud in October 2010. In connection with their sentencings, both men admitted to defrauding at least $20 million from the FCC’s Video Relay Service (VRS), a program designed to pay for services for the hearing disabled.

John Yeh and Joseph Yeh admitted that beginning in approximately fall 2007, they conspired with others to pay individuals to make fraudulent VRS phone calls using Viable’s VRS service. According to court documents, both men paid employees of Viable, who then paid others to make the fraudulent phone calls. Viable then submitted the fraudulent call minutes to the FCC and was paid approximately $390 per hour for all VRS calls that Viable processed.

VRS is an online video translation service that allows people with hearing disabilities to communicate with hearing individuals through the use of interpreters and Web cameras. A person with a hearing disability who wants to communicate with a hearing person can do so by contacting a VRS provider through an audio and video Internet connection. The VRS provider, in turn, employs a video interpreter to view and interpret the hearing disabled person’s signed conversation and relay the signed conversation orally to a hearing person. VRS is funded by fees assessed by telecommunications providers to telephone customers, and is provided at no cost to the VRS user.

A study by Michigan State University sociologist Stephen Gasteyer suggests racial minorities pay more for basic water and sewer services than white people.

This “structural inequality” is not necessarily a product of racism, argues sociologist Stephen Gasteyer, but rather the result of whites fleeing urban areas and leaving minority residents to bear the costs of maintaining aging water and sewer infrastructure.

“This study demonstrates a disturbing racial effect to the cost of basic services,” said Gasteyer, assistant professor of sociology. “People of color have the fewest opportunities to leave urban centers and are left to pay for the crumbling legacy of a bygone economic era.”

The findings by Gasteyer and Rachel Butts will appear in an upcoming issue of the research journal Environmental Practice.

The researchers analyzed Census data on self-reported water and sewer costs in Michigan. The study found that urban residents actually pay more than rural residents, which refutes conventional wisdom, Gasteyer said.

But perhaps more importantly, Gasteyer said, water and sewer services cost more in areas with greater proportions of racial minorities.

Detroit is the “poster child” for this problem, Gasteyer said. The city has lost more than 60 percent of its population since 1950, and the water and sewer infrastructure is as much as a century old in some areas. Billions of gallons of water are lost through leaks in the aging lines every year, and the entire system has been under federal oversight since 1977 for wastewater violations.

“A fair proportion of Detroit’s large low-income population cannot afford the burden of rate increases meant to offset infrastructure repairs, leading to tens of thousands of customers getting their water turned off every year,” Gasteyer said.

Water and sewer lines are aging throughout the country. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, hundreds of billions of dollars will be needed to repair deteriorating systems over the next 20 years.

Paying for those upgrades likely will be a major issue in shrinking cities such as Cleveland, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Birmingham, Ala., and many others, Gasteyer said.

“Everything is wearing out, and we are going to have to grapple with how we pay for these so-called liquid assets that need to be upgraded,” Gasteyer said. “At the same time, we need to be cognizant of who may be paying an unsustainable burden as those rates go up.”

“Through this operation we are aggressively targeting those who are selling counterfeit goods for their own personal gain while costing our economy much needed revenue and jobs,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “Intellectual property crimes harm businesses and consumers, alike, threatening economic opportunity and financial stability, and today we have sent a clear message that the Department will remain ever vigilant in protecting the public’s economic welfare and public safety through robust intellectual property enforcement.”

“For most, the holidays represent a season of good will and giving, but for these criminals, it’s the season to lure in unsuspecting holiday shoppers,” said ICE Director John Morton. “More and more Americans are doing their holiday shopping online, and they may not realize that purchasing counterfeit goods results in American jobs lost, American business profits stolen and American consumers receiving substandard products. And the ramifications can be even greater because the illicit profits made from these types of illegal ventures often fuel other kinds of organized crime.”

“The sale of counterfeit goods cheats consumers and robs legitimate businesses—both large and small—of the fruits of their hard-earned work,” said Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We will not tolerate those who seek to profit by abusing the Internet and stealing intellectual property at the expense of authors, artists and inventors. The Department of Justice will continue to work aggressively to combat intellectual property crime.”

“The theft of intellectual property, to include the trafficking of counterfeit goods, creates significant financial losses,” said FBI Section Chief Zack Miller of the Cyber Division. “The FBI aggressively pursues intellectual property enforcement through traditional investigative methods, intelligence initiatives and coordinated efforts with private industry and domestic and foreign law enforcement partners.”

The 150 seized domains are in the custody of the federal government. Visitors to the sites will now find a seizure banner that notifies them that the domain name has been seized by federal authorities and educates them that willful copyright infringement is a federal crime.

During this operation, federal law enforcement agents made undercover purchases of a host of products, including professional sports jerseys, golf equipment, DVD sets, footwear, handbags and sunglasses, representing a variety of trademarks from online retailers who were suspected of selling counterfeit products. In most cases, the goods were shipped directly into the United States from suppliers in other countries. If the trademark holders confirmed that the purchased products were counterfeit or otherwise illegal, seizure orders for the domain names of the websites that sold the goods and associated websites were obtained from federal magistrate judges.

This operation is the eighth phase of Operation In Our Sites, a sustained law enforcement initiative to protect consumers by targeting counterfeit and piracy on the Internet. This is the second year that a phase of Operation In Our Sites has coincided with Cyber Monday. In November 2010, 82 websites were seized during the Cyber Monday-related operation.

Since the operation’s June 2010 launch, the IPR Center has seized a total of 350 domain names, and the seizure banner has received more than 77 million individual views.

Of the 350 domain names seized, 116 have now been forfeited to the U.S. government. The federal forfeiture process affords individuals who have an interest in the seized domain names a period of time after the “Notice of Seizure” to file a petition with a federal court and additional time after the “Notice of Forfeiture” to contest the forfeiture. If no petitions or claims are filed, the domain names become property of the U.S. government.

Additionally, a public service announcement (PSA), launched in April 2011, appears on each of the 116 forfeited domain names. This video educates the public about the economic impact of trademark counterfeiting and copyright infringement.

The operation was spearheaded by the IPR Center in coordination with the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and eight U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, including the District of Maryland, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Minnesota, Eastern District of Michigan, Eastern District of Louisiana and District of Colorado.

The Leesburg Police Department is investigating a residential burglary that occurred on Friday November 18, 2011. At approximately 5:46 PM, Leesburg Police officers were dispatched to a residence in the 100 block of Morven Park Road, SW for a reported burglary. Officers met with the homeowner who advised that sometime between the hours of 8:30 AM and 5:30 PM when he returned home from work, an unknown person(s) made forced entry into his residence through his garage.

Officers searched the residence with the homeowner and it was noted that eight firearms were missing along with several boxes of ammunition as well as some prescription medication.

The case is currently under investigation by members of the Leesburg Police Department Criminal Investigations Section. The Leesburg Police Department asks that anyone who may have information about this incident to call (703) 771-4500. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can call the Leesburg Crime Line at (703) 443-TIPS.

The agreement approved Tuesday night will lower the cost of the project by nearly $1 billion, includes an above-ground alignment for the Metro station at Dulles Airport, and outlines the funding mechanisms to be used for building parking garages.

Tuesday night’s vote came after several months of discussions on how to build and finance the project. The working group included representatives from Loudoun County as well as the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Fairfax County, the Virginia Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Details of the agreement are online at www.loudoun.gov/dullesrail.

Around 7:15 a.m. on November 15, 2011, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the westbound exit of Loudoun County Parkway at Route 7 for a two vehicle crash. A 2010 Hyundai driven by Jacob G. Mazaris, 18, of Leesburg, was traveling westbound on Route 7 when he exited onto the ramp at Loudoun County Parkway. The driver traveled across the northbound lanes of Loudoun County Parkway and into the southbound lane where he struck a 2009 Toyota Corolla driven by a 47-year-old woman from Ashburn.

Both Mazaris and the driver of the Toyota were airlifted to INOVA Fairfax Hospital where they are both being treated for serious but non-life-threatening.

Mazaris was charged by members of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit with DUI (under 21).

Darren Frederick Morrell of Valentino Drive in Oakton was operating a 2005 Honda CBR sport bike east on White Granite Drive. An 85-year-old Oakton man operating a 1995 Pontiac Grand Prix, exited a post office parking lot and attempted to turn left onto White Granite from a service road. The driver of the Pontiac apparently did not see the motorcycle and turned in front of it. The motorcycle struck the left front wheel and quarter panel of the car. Morrell was ejected from the motorcycle and struck the pavement. He was medevaced to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later. The occupants of the Pontiac were not injured.

Speed and alcohol do not appear to be factors.

via Oakton Man Killed in Motorcycle Accident – Fairfax News.

Read full story via  ATF and US Customs Raid 340 Quick Mart – Clarke Daily News.

Thomas, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in May 2011 to 11 counts of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery. He was sentenced by the Honorable James E. Boasberg in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Thomas also was ordered to pay $21,101 in restitution. In addition, upon completion of his prison term, Thomas will be placed on three years of supervised release.

The government’s evidence proved that Thomas engaged in a long-running robbery spree that netted more than $20,000. Each time he robbed a bank, Thomas claimed that he had a gun or a pipe bomb, although no weapon or device was actually seen.

According to the government’s evidence, Thomas was responsible for a large share of bank robberies committed in Washington, D.C. during the time-frame of his crimes. The robberies were investigated by the FBI/MPD Violent Crimes Task Force, which sought the public’s help in identifying a suspect. A tip from a concerned citizen led law enforcement to suspect Thomas.

The robberies typically took place in the late morning or early afternoon, with Thomas handing a teller a note making demands and threats, such as: “I Have a gun in my hand and two pipe bombs in my bag give me a stack of 100’s and 50’s and no one gets hurt.” He typically took the money and fled on foot, leaving the note behind. No one was hurt in the incidents.

“Jerome Thomas committed a string of almost a dozen bank robberies, and even hit one bank twice. He usually claimed to have a gun and sometimes claimed he had a pipe bomb,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “His conduct and threats intimidated tellers and put customers at risk. Although he wore gloves and obscured his face, he ultimately could not avoid detection by the FBI and MPD, and today he was brought to justice for his crimes.”

“Bank robbery is a crime that has plagued major cities like Washington, D.C. for years. This crime usually occurs in broad daylight and can have a high potential for violence because there are often weapons brought to the scene,” said Assistant Director McJunkin. “The FBI/ MPD Violent Crimes Task Force continues to be dedicated to investigating and identifying these criminals, to keep our communities safe.”

Thomas pled guilty to taking part in the following crimes:

November 23, 2009: Robbery of a Chevy Chase Bank in the 300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE.

January 6, 2010: Robbery of a Chevy Chase Bank in the 1200 block of Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

March 8, 2010: Robbery of a Chevy Chase Bank in the 600 block of F Street NW.

March 12, 2010: Robbery of a PNC Bank in the 600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE.

March 25, 2010: Robbery of a Chevy Chase Bank in the 1200 block of F Street NW.

April 21, 2010: Robbery of a Chevy Chase Bank in the 700 block of Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

April 26, 2010: Robbery of a Chevy Chase Bank in the 900 block of 15th Street NW.

May 11, 2010: Robbery of a PNC Bank in the 1100 block of H Street NW.

May 18, 2010: Attempted robbery of a PNC Bank in the 1900 block of Massachusetts Avenue NW.

January 12, 2011: Robbery of a Capital One Bank in the 1200 block of F Street NW.

January 18, 2011: Robbery of a PNC Bank in the 600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE.

March 16, 2011: Robbery of a SunTrust Bank in the 1100 block of G Street NW.

The citizen’s tip proved invaluable to law enforcement, which reviewed surveillance photos from the March 16, 2011 robbery in which the robber’s face was clearly visible. Several law enforcement personnel thought the individual in the photos resembled Thomas.

Shortly after the March 16, 2011 robbery, law enforcement responded to Thomas’s home in Southeast Washington to conduct surveillance. About 7 that evening, Thomas arrived at the parking lot of his residence, and he was wearing clothing and jewelry seen in the bank robbery surveillance photos. He also had in his possession about $1,891.

Thomas was transported to MPD, where he was interviewed by law enforcement. When confronted with evidence from the string of robberies, Thomas admitted to each one.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director McJunkin, and Chief Lanier commended the exceptional investigative work of the FBI/MPD Violent Crimes Task Force, including the special agents from the FBI and MPD Detective Elmer Baylor, Jr.

They also thanked those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including legal assistant LaToya Wade and paralegal Sam Reisen, who provided administrative support, and Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Dana, who assisted with asset forfeiture issues. Lastly, they praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine K. Connelly, who prosecuted this matter.

The Turkish pine nuts were available for purchase from bulk bins and they were also used as an ingredient in prepared products, such as Caprese salads, sold at the grocery chain. Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. recalled 5,000 pounds of the product sold at most of their stores between July 1 and October 18, 2011. Wegmans has placed automated phone calls to customers who purchased the Turkish pine nuts using their shoppers’ club card, alerting them of the recall. Consumers are advised to check their homes, including refrigerators and freezers, for any of the recalled product. Consumers who have the recalled product are advised to dispose of the product or return it to Wegmans for a refund.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and state and local public health partners are continuing the outbreak investigation to determine the source of the Turkish pine nuts and to determine whether they were distributed to other food retailers.

Additional information regarding the outbreak investigation and recall may be found at the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/pinenuts-enteriditis/102611/index.html and the FDA website at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm277393.htm.

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A crash worked by the Virginia State Police involving an overturned truck closed Belmont Ridge Road between Croson Lane and Crescent Lane in Ashburn. The roadway was closed for over three hours. Members of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Auxiliary Unit assisted with traffic control.

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A 2006 Honda Pilot left with its engine running and a sleeping two-year-old boy in the back seat, was stolen while his mother briefly stepped inside a home. As she returned to the car, she saw it being driven down the street. Neighbors and police found the car and the unharmed child abandoned nearby at the intersection of Backlick Road and Leesville Boulevard within minutes of the report.

The suspect is described as a white male wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477

“George Mason University, through its Mason Enterprise Center, is proud to partner with the Town of Leesburg and Loudoun County in the creation and operation of this significant regional business assistance center to support and encourage entrepreneurial engagement, business expansion, and job creation,” said Keith Segerson, Mason’s Associate Vice President for Economic Development.

The effort to establish a Leesburg business incubator began in March 2007, when the Leesburg Economic Development Commission identified the need for a feasibility study as part of the Town’s economic development strategic plan. At about the same time, both the Town and Loudoun County created task forces or ad hoc committees – comprised largely of successful entrepreneurs and business leaders within the community – that played important roles in generating interest in pursuing the development of a business incubator. The Town funded a feasibility study, which was completed by George Mason University in May 2009. In August 2010, the Town signed a lease for the building at 202 Church Street SE to house the business incubator. A month later, Loudoun County committed $100,000 to underwrite half of the incubator’s initial operating costs, sharing the funding support with the Town of Leesburg. The Mason Enterprise Center Leesburg/Loudoun County opened in October 2010 at a temporary location in downtown Leesburg and moved into the new building at 202 Church Street SE last month.

“After years of working together with George Mason University and Loudoun County, the reality of a finished building and the buzz of activity from Mason Enterprise Center clients is very satisfying,” said Marantha Edwards, Leesburg’s Economic Development Manager.

“Leesburg’s new Mason Enterprise Center is a great addition to the small business and entrepreneurial support network that is key to growing and sustaining Loudoun’s economic development,” added Tom Flynn, Loudoun County’s Director of Economic Development.

The new business incubator occupies the entire building at 202 Church Street SE and includes the office of the Town’s Economic Development Department and the Loudoun Small Business Development Center as well as client company space and telework stations. The client company space consists of twenty-nine private offices (a client company can occupy more than one office). At the present time, fourteen client companies have signed leases; several more companies are in final interviews. The incubator is managed by the Mason Enterprise Center (MEC), a major outreach program of George Mason University’s School of Public Policy, supporting the University’s goals of regional economic development and job creation/retention. The Regional Manager for the Mason Enterprise Center Leesburg/Loudoun Center is Susan Henson, who joined the MEC staff earlier this month.

In her new role, Ms. Henson will oversee all operations, planning, community outreach, marketing, client support and staff supervision for the newly opened Mason Enterprise Center Leesburg. Chief among her responsibilities will be promoting the benefits of the incubator to the business community and sharing the facility with potential tenants. Ms. Henson brings over twenty years of experience in tactical business advising, innovative program development, training, human resources, customer service, operations, retail management and apparel manufacturing to the Mason Enterprise Center Leesburg.

“The Mason Enterprise Center Leesburg/Loudoun County is a place where incubator clients—both resident and virtual—can develop and grow in a shared business community while having access to a broad spectrum of targeted resources to enhance their success and staff who are here to motivate them to achieve more than they could on in a solo capacity,” explained Susan. “I’m thrilled at the opportunity to be part of this exciting new venture.”

A graduate of Virginia Tech, Ms. Henson recently returned to Virginia from a regional position with the University of Missouri Extension, Small Business and Technology Development Centers in Kansas City. On the faculty at the University of Missouri in Columbia for ten years as the Coordinator of MO-TAC (Missouri Textile & Apparel Center), she developed a statewide program and association serving the business and industry needs of the textile and apparel sector. Ms. Henson’s career has also included positions with Best Buy Stores, with Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as Director of Operations for a non-profit educational services company.

“We’re delighted to have Susan on board as the latest member of the Leesburg/Loudoun entrepreneurial development team,” said Marantha Edwards. “Susan brings a wealth of experience to our programs and I’m looking forward to working with her, the Small Business Development Center team and Loudoun County Economic Development to energize the entrepreneurial business community here in Leesburg and Loudoun County.”

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