Virginia Economic Review

Since Drake Extrusion opened a plant in Southern Virginia to make polypropylene fibers and yarns 31 years ago, the company weathered the collapse of the region’s traditional industry and global downturns and never laid off a worker.

Jenny Munson has surprised herself by launching not just one, but two businesses. Neither would have happened, the scientist believes, if she hadn’t moved her research program to Virginia Tech and the western Virginia city of Roanoke.

Would more men try to prevent unintended pregnancies if their choices for contraception went beyond a condom or vasectomy?

Would more men try to prevent unintended pregnancies if their choices for contraception went beyond a condom or vasectomy?

Bonnie Chavez, CEO of Building Beloved Communities in Roanoke, Virginia, discusses quality of life and talent opportunities in Roanoke and Virginia as a whole, including what drew her to the area, the opportunities for talent and her own "Why Virginia" story. Watch the Conversation

New or expanding companies want to know that they will be able to hire workers with the skills they need. While outside training providers offer established but generic faculty, facilities, and programs, in-house solutions allow for customization but require significant investment.

When Julia Boas and her husband, Patrick, have an errand to run or a friend to visit in their hometown of Roanoke, they rarely go by car. Instead, they hop on their e-bikes.

Are you a transplant, a boomerang, or a lifelong Virginian? What brought you to the Commonwealth in the first place? I’m a transplant — I was born in Missouri, then lived in Ohio, Georgia, and South Carolina. I attended Clemson University and, after earning my Ph.D.

If you imagine timelines as train tracks and key events as moments when tracks converge, this is a pivotal time for rail in Virginia.

Connections are an essential foundation of business success — and businesses trust Virginia’s infrastructure to provide a multimodal transportation system that reliably connects them to suppliers, customers, and partners.

Virginia’s moderate, four-season climate is a draw for residents of all interests. From the mountains to the beach, Virginians can experience summer heat, winter snow, and everything in between without leaving the Commonwealth.

Virginia’s moderate, four-season climate is a draw for residents of all interests. From the mountains to the beach, Virginians can experience summer heat, winter snow, and everything in between without leaving the Commonwealth.

Virginia’s abundant recreation scene means that there’s something to do for just about everyone, whether you’re an experienced hiker or kayaker looking for a challenge or a parent looking to pass along a love of the outdoors.

Virginia’s arts scene showcases the creative talent that comes out of the Commonwealth, from well-regarded arts programs at universities like Virginia Commonwealth University and Shenandoah University to self-taught artists.

Virginia’s arts scene showcases the creative talent that comes out of the Commonwealth, from well-regarded arts programs at universities like Virginia Commonwealth University and Shenandoah University to self-taught artists.

Virginia’s arts scene showcases the creative talent that comes out of the Commonwealth, from well-regarded arts programs at universities like Virginia Commonwealth University and Shenandoah University to self-taught artists.

Virginia’s long history and evolution since its founding have left a wide variety of unique attractions, from the historic to the entertaining to the just plain weird.

One of the great draws of Virginia for outdoor enthusiasts is its wide variety of landscapes in a compact geographic area.