The Blacksburg Partnership has expanded its Board of Directors and appointed Diane Akers President of the Partnership. Akers, who has been serving in a consulting capacity as its founding Executive Director since July 2003, is the Partnership’s first full time employee. 

With more than twenty years of professional and management experience serving local governments and small businesses, she has served as Assistant City Manager, Director of Economic Development, and Budget Administrator for the City of Roanoke and President of ComBiz Solutions.

Akers received her B.A. in Business Management from Mary Baldwin College and her M.A.L.S. in Economics from Hollins University. She is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD), a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM).   She is also State Alliance Co-Chair of the International Council of Shopping Centers, and a member of the Virginia Economic Developers Association, International Downtown Association and Virginia Downtown Developers Association. 

“I’m very pleased to be able to devote my efforts full time to the Blacksburg Partnership,” said Akers.  “This is a very exciting time for our organization and I’m especially looking forward to the Partnership’s continued involvement with downtown revitalization and the new arts initiative.”   In addition to Akers’ position, the Partnership is also creating a Projects Coordinator position to expand programming efforts.

Over the past six months the Partnership Board of Directors has focused its efforts on developing a new program of work for the organization which will strengthen the mission of improving the quality of life and enhancing commercial and retail offerings in Blacksburg.  The plan also calls for a shift in the funding structure, making the organization self-sustaining over the course of the next 3 to 5 years. 

Changes to the organizational structure include the addition of investors, community invitees and the appointment of the following individuals to the Board of Directors beginning July 1:

Susan Anderson, Blacksburg Town Council
Joe Meredith, President, Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center
Nancyne Willoughby, President, Downtown Merchants of Blacksburg
Sandra Cupp Davis, Owner, BCR Property Management
Steve Hill, President/Owner, Hill Properties

The new slate of officers includes:

Chairman, Doug Juanarena, GenTek Ventures
Vice Chairman, Ed Lawhorn, Sun Trust Bank
Treasurer, Ray Smoot, Virginia Tech Foundation
Secretary, Mike Eggleston, Coldwell Banker Townside

“The Partnership is dedicated to supporting economic development and promoting Blacksburg as a great place to live and do business,” said Bill Aden, Chairman.  “With our new program of work and staff, and partnerships with other organizations, I feel confident our efforts will benefit the community.”

The Blacksburg Partnership is a non-profit, independent economic development organization formed by leaders from the Town of Blacksburg, the business community, and Virginia Tech. The purpose is to bolster the vitality of Blacksburg through projects that attract visitors and retail prospects. Partnership projects include development of property, the revitalization of retail districts, special events, and marketing programs.

Comments (4)

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Way off...
written by ...., June 13, 2008

You are right about the formation of the Partnership. It formed a year after the Chamber merged. You are wrong about the rest of it though. Sounds like you have an ax to grind with the Chamber. It is shame and disappointing that an organization that works everyday to make life better for the entire community gets slapped in the face like this.

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...
written by Skeptical, June 12, 2008

Check the dates on articles of incorporation for Blacksburg Partnership/Blacksburg Partnership Foundation (which appear reversed on SCC website) and chamber merger. Too close for comfort. And how many moves will the county's consolidated chamber require before it has a permanent home. Like the tourism funding is supposed to pay for this instead of memberships, and members representing businesses located in the county rather than everywhere else. Not rumors. Reality.

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To Skeptical
written by Rumors and Inuendos, June 12, 2008

Couple of wrong statements. First the Blacksburg Partnership did not form until 3 years after the Chambers merged. Second, you have to be invited to the table to participate. Third, Chamber has offered to both house and support the Partnership (among other agencies) when its permanent home is built.

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A Challenge to Chamber
written by Skeptical, June 11, 2008

This group formed immediately following the two town's chambers and is heavily supported by the VT Foundation. Sorry, but with Akers' resume, why serve as volunteer for 5 years? And why with all the recent outlying retail (First & Main, Ellenbogen's University Mall project with VT Foundation) is retail still a focus in Blacksburg which reportedly has numerous downtown vacancies? And where is the county chamber/tourism/visitors board in this mix? Why is a state employee, Hincker, doing the press release? After Hokie Bird project one would think this endeavor was already able to be financially sustainable. The key word here is "investors" who may have goals oppositional to IMPROVING quality of life for town residents.

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