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For immediate release
May 23, 2007
Park wins top award
Richmond, Va. – The Virginia BioTechnology Research Park was awarded the Greater Richmond Technology Council’s Chairman’s Award during the annual GRTC awards gala held on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 at the Richmond Marriott.
The Chairman’s Award, sponsored by Philip Morris USA, is presented annually to an individual or organization that has made a significant impact on the growth of technology in the Richmond region and/or the advancement of Greater Richmond as a center for technology innovation.
Unlike other awards presented at the gala, which are selected by a panel of judges, nominations for the Chairman’s Award are solicited from the GRTC Board and the winner is selected by the Executive Committee.
“This award recognizes results that are the product of great leadership, execution, process implementation, innovative ideas and talent,” stated Robert Stolle, executive director of the GRTC. “The Park’s success, and the contributions of everyone there over the past years, led to a unanimous selection by the executive committee.”
About the Park:
The Park officially opened in December 1995 with the completion of the Virginia BioTechnology Center, which houses administrative offices and the state’s first incubator focused exclusively on the life sciences.
Since opening, 63 companies have started in the Park’s incubator facility; 19 from VCU and 44 that were attracted from outside locations. In 11 years, the Park’s incubator program, the Virginia Biosciences Development Center, has successfully graduated 31 companies, three of which are now publicly traded, and has helped to raise more than $155 million in federal and equity funding for its tenants.
Beyond the incubator, the Park now houses more than 55 life science organizations in nine buildings, including state and federal laboratories, multinational pharmaceutical and chemical companies, research institutes from Virginia Commonwealth University, headquarters for the nation’s only organ transplantation coordination network, R&D center for one of the nation’s largest consumer products companies, and dozens of seed and mid-stage bioscience companies.
After completion of the new Philip Morris USA Center for Research and Technology, total development in the Park will exceed 1.1 million square feet of space, representing a capital investment of more than $525 million and an employee base that exceeds 2,000 scientists, researchers, engineers, technicians and support staff.
Contact:
Nicky Colomb
Virginia BioTechnology Research Park
Phone: (804) 828-6884
E-mail: ncolomb@vabiotech.com
Web site: www.vabiotech.com
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