RICHMOND - Governor McAuliffe today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP). AFRICOM is one of six geographic combatant commands in the Department of Defense and is responsible to the Secretary of Defense for military relations with African nations, the African Union, and African regional security organizations. 

Hilton, the leading global hospitality company, will retain its headquarters in Fairfax County, including upgrades to its facility in McLean. Hilton plans to create 350 net new headquarters jobs over the next five years.

RICHMOND - Twelve companies from across the Commonwealth graduated from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s (VEDP) Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) Program, touting impressive results from their newly acquired tools to successfully export products and services overseas. The graduating companies were recognized by Governor McAuliffe during a luncheon at the downtown Omni Hotel today.

Coronado Global Resources Inc., a leading international producer of high-quality metallurgical coal, plans to commit $169.1 million to expand its Buchanan Mine Complex in Buchanan County and Tazewell County.

DroneUp, LLC, a leading drone flight services innovator and aviation technology provider, will invest $27.2 million to expand its headquarters in the City of Virginia Beach and establish a training center in Dinwiddie County.

As consumers’ increasing demand for safe, sustainable, locally grown food increases, Virginia provides the ideal home for controlled environment agriculture (CEA) companies. As a top state in the CEA industry, Virginia offers a mid-Atlantic location with strategic access to domestic consumer markets, access to plentiful natural resources and competitively priced electricity, a skilled talent pipeline, and exceptional partners like the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS).

RICHMOND - Governor Terry McAuliffe announced today that San Francisco-based Shift Technologies (Shift) will invest $20 million to establish its first East Coast operation in Arlington County. The project will create 100 new, high-tech jobs and is a direct result of the Governor’s meeting with company officials in California during his West Coast marketing mission in September 2015.