Your Doorway to the Dulles Business Corridor

President & CEO Testifies to Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for Creation of Phase 2 Tax District
On Monday, December 7, The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce president, Mark S. Ingrao, was one of eight speakers that testified to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on the petition to create a Phase 2 Tax District.  The GRCC was one of six organizations who testified in favor of forming the tax and in the testimony, emphasized the significance of the rail station to the vibrancy and growth of Reston.  Please go to the GRCC website at www.RestonChamber.org or click here to read the entire testimony>>

Reston Master Plan Special Study
On the evening of December 1, Fairfax County held the kick-off meeting of the Task Force for the Reston Master Plan Special Study. The Chamber’s Task Force representative is Mark Looney, Cooley Godward Kronish and the Chamber’s alternate is Casey Veatch, Veatch Commercial Real Estate.

The Task Force plans on reviewing each of the three transit station areas (Wiehle Avenue, Reston Parkway, and Herndon-Monroe) and also the Reston Town Center in a comprehensive manner rather than conduct an individual review of each APR nomination.  Although the review will not focus on individual APR nominations, County Staff will provide copies of the APR nominations to the Task Force members.

Most importantly, the special study will involve monthly community workshops during the winter and spring of 2010.  Each workshop will be devoted to one of the transit station areas or the Town Center.  It is essential that property owners attend the community workshops for the areas in which you have property in order to express your vision and objectives for the area generally and your property specifically.  In the absence of property owner participation, the Task Force's views will likely come down to a matter of numbers between residents/citizen activists and development-oriented members.  Therefore, your support and participation will be critical to achieving your development objectives.

County Staff did not provide specific dates for the community workshops, but we will of course provide more detail on the dates as we receive it.  Please let us know if you have any questions.

2010 Public Policy Positions Approved by Board
The GRCC Board approved the 2010 Public Policy Positions which outlines all of the Chamber’s federal, state and local legislative initiatives for the year.  This year’s Policy Positions continue to emphasis action on such issues such as taxation, transportation, workforce/affordable housing, economic development, education, technology, land use, immigration, environment and health care.  New positions include energy and general business issues such as, Dillon Rule, Right to Work, Worker’s Compensation and Equal Opportunity.  Please go to the GRCC website or click here for a full description of each of these issues>>

Chamber's Ethics Day Program Nationally Recognized
The inspiring and influential Ethics Day program was nationally recognized by the Chamber Executive Network this month. Ethics Day, a program that promotes strong ethical decision making skills to over 330 seniors from Reston's own South Lakes High School, was recognized for the Chamber's perseverance to "spearhead an [annual] program...by challenging [the students] to ponder four moral dilemmas in a very thought-provoking and entertaining way." The Chamber is honored to have been recognized and already gearing up for next year's Ethics Day. Stay tuned for updates to envolve yourself in the 2010 program, but for now read the Chamber Executive Network's article online>>

Board Member's Millennial Book Published
Motivating the Millennial Knowledge Worker has just been published by Axzo Press. The book specifically focuses on Millennial knowledge workers, those “20 something” professionals who comprise the fast growing segment of the workforce. These “Millennials rising” have been described by many as having the potential to contribute to America holding its place in a competitive global economy. The book focuses on providing strategies for addressing the following sixteen Millennial motivators: Flexibility and Work/Life Balance; Multi-dimensional Growth Opportunities; Fun and Social Interaction; Purpose, Contribution and Challenging Work; The Three R’s: Recognition, Respect and Reward; Learning, Training and Technology, Pay for Performance. For further Information, Motivating the Millennial Knowledge Workers is published by Axzo Press. The cost of the book is $24.95 plus shipping. The book is available by contacting donaldshandler@comcast.net or 703.674.6800. Volume discounts beginning at 20 copies are available.

Reston Photographic Society Exhibit at the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce
Since the League of Reston Artists (LRA) has joined the the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce we have had a great deal of positive interactions. To capitalize on this experience the presidents of both organizations, Cheryl Parsons and Mark Ingrao have worked out an arrangement for RPS to exhibit aprox. 35 framed photographs at the Chamber headquarters located at 1763 Fountain Drive, Reston, VA 20190. The exhibit will be hung on January 4, 2010 from 9-11am and be taken down on March 1, 2010 from 9-10am. Due to space limitations this will be a juried exhibit with the theme of photographs taken in and about Reston, VA. Each member may submit two images by December 28 by following the submission guidelines. The images selected will be framed to no larger than 16x22 with landscapes allowed larger, and properly set up for hanging. Nudes or  scenes of violence are not allowed and all images must be suitable for public viewing. Please submit Title, photographer, size, and sale price with your image. Click here for the submission guidelines>>

Reston Limousine President & CEO Kristina Bouweiri Honored with Toyota Tribute to Working Women
Kristina Bouweiri, President and CEO of Reston Limousine based in the Dulles corridor of Loudoun County, was recently honored with the Washington Area Toyota Dealers Tribute to Working Women award, co- hosted by ABC 7 WJLA-TV. For the past 15 years, this prestigious tribute has selected a handful of working women from hundreds of applications from candidates who have demonstrated a commitment and dedication to improve the community where they live and work. Bouweiri, of Leesburg, was one of seven women named this year by a distinguished panel of judges, including executives from the automotive, employment, broadcast, and publishing industries. Read the Release>>

Reston Town Center Logo Design Winner Announced
Reston Town Center announces the winner of the 20th anniversary logo design, Jonathan Cronin. A resident of Reston who grew up in Herndon, Cronin says he has been a fan of Reston Town Center since it was built. Logo judges were especially impressed with his story on how he arrived at his design, which incorporates Reston Town Center’s 20th anniversary tagline, “Defining. Inspiring. 20 Years”. (Cronin’s logo and his story are below.) Cronin was awarded with a $500 Reston Town Center gift card. Throughout the next year the logo design will be included on the Reston Town Center website, banners, signs, posters and advertising, and on 20th anniversary celebration tee-shirts, banners, souvenir items, and more. Cronin’s design was one of the first entries received in the contest, announced in August, which he knew about through following Reston Town Center on Twitter (RestonTwnCenter). Thirty-three (33) designs were submitted for the contest by twenty-one (21) professional and amateur designers. Read the Release>>

IPAR Announces New Public Art Manager
Anne Delaney has been appointed the first Public Art Manager of IPAR, the Initiative for Public Art—Reston, which is made up of a group of Reston’s top civic leaders and key community organizations.“We are delighted that an intensive selection process has found us a manager as talented and well-prepared as Anne,” IPAR president and long-time Reston arts activist, Joe Ritchey noted. “The Board is confident that she will bring new energy, new ideas, and above all an exciting vision to Reston, as we seek to expand cultural resources and broaden access to public art for all our residents and visitors,” Ritchey said. Read the Release>>

Exclusive Neighbor Holiday Rates from $49/Night
The Sheraton Reston Hotel is celebrating the holiday season with a special exclusive neighbor rate for only $49/night. Invite your friends, family, and even your pets for a holiday to remember. Call 866.716.8115 and mention rate plan SETVAFR. Please take the time to visit www.sheratonreston.com/holidayfriends to reserve your room(s) online. A limited number of rooms are available at these rates and additional restrictions and blackout dates may apply. Offer not applicable to groups or with other special offers. Book now for stays through December 30, 2009.