Onward NRV Works to Reach Radford Alumni

Onward NRV Executive Director Charlie Jewell, joined by Award-Winning IT Professor Jeff Pittges, took a 2-day trip to Northern Virginia last week to help Radford University alumni reconnect to Virginia’s New River Valley. By partnering with the RU Alumni Association, Jewell was able to deliver a 2-minute pitch in front of guests at the RU alumni networking event held at The Goal in Reston, VA. This event was an excellent opportunity to launch and give away some of the NRV branded boxes, which were handcrafted by St. Pierre Woodworking in Floyd, VA and contained goodies representing the NRV. Jewell also scheduled meetings with alumni business leaders to educate them on Onward’s work to attract and grow the four targeted industries for the region. The goal was to help communicate the business advantages, job opportunities, and lifestyle amenities in the region to RU alumni. The outbound marketing was also meant to increase awareness of the advantages specifically in Information Technology, Advanced Manufacturing, Food & Beverage Processing, and Unmanned Systems. The idea to reach out to alumni was born of the research on the four targeted industries. Many business leaders noted that they are satisfied with their current employees, but harbor some concerns about finding enough employees when it comes time to expand their businesses. Therefore, Onward wants to reconnect with alumni living outside the area that may want to move back in the future in order to communicate what the region has to offer them. ###Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for a beautiful place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.   Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.