CRC reaches out to foster development and growth, celebrates active community involvement

The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center (CRC) will hold its second annual Community Impact Program (CIP) Awards Banquet, celebrating another year of the CRC's involvement in New River Valley (NRV) communities and recognizing CRC member businesses that have fostered community growth over the past year.

Six Outstanding Community Citizen Awards and two Program Leadership Awards will be presented to companies that have exemplified leadership in charitable giving and promotion of employee volunteerism within their organization. Companies also will be recognized for their participation in the program.

The two companies that will receive Program Leadership Awards are: Recognition Research, Inc. and Transformation Systems.

The six that will receive Outstanding Community Citizen Awards are: Recognition Research, Phoenix Integration, Revivicor Inc., Transformation Systems Inc., TechEdit and Media Services, Nature Diagnostics Inc.

The Community Impact Program is designed to help entrepreneurial entities within the CRC become active members of the community. By providing an organizational structure, the CIP enables businesses to combine with New River Valley charitable organizations to form joint ventures that support active local community development.

President of the CRC, Joe Meredith, said, "The Community Impact Program was conceived to help successful companies and individuals in the Corporate Research Center assist in meeting various needs within our community. We are very proud of what has been accomplished thus far."

Primarily, businesses coordinate with United Way of Floyd, Montgomery, and Radford, and the Community Foundation, to provide support to the NRV.

"The Corporate Research Center's Community Impact Program represents a major leadership initiative to promote community giving and volunteerism in the high-tech community," said Community Foundation's Executive Director Andrew Morikawa. "It is a strong contribution to regional economic development. It is a model partnership that engages public and private sectors for the common good."

The CIP is a volunteer organization consisting of local business leaders that promotes, facilitates, organizes, and recognizes individual businesses within the CRC who support community development activities. Working in concert with the United Way and the Community Foundation, CIP has raised awareness of the need for high-tech companies to become caring entrepreneurial and corporate citizens, thereby strengthening the communities that help them thrive.

This year, the Awards Banquet will be held at noon Tuesday, April 27, on the third floor of Research Building 16 in the Corporate Research Center on 2020 Kraft Drive, which is adjacent to the Virginia Tech/Montgomery Regional Airport. Bill Roth, the "Voice of the Hokies," and Bob Summers, President of nanoCom Corporation, will speak at the event.

For further information contact Nanci Hardwick at (540) 961-0067.

Written by Nancy Templeman.