ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, December 11, 1993                   TAG: 9312110024
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-7   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

DEVELOPMENT GROUP ELECTS NEW CHAIRMAN BY MICHAEL STOWE

The Montgomery Regional Economic Development Commission elected Dwayne Kittle its new chairman at the group's final meeting of the year Tuesday.

Kittle, a broker with Scottt & Stringfellow in Blacksburg, replaces Jack Lewis, dean of management service at New River Community College.

"I've got some big shoes to fill and I'm looking forward to working with all of you," Kittle said.

Lewis, who has headed the commission since 1990, was named volunteer of the year earlier this year by the Virginia Department of Economic Development. Kittle, who has served on the commission since 1989, had been the group's vice chairman.

Thomas Johnson, agricultural economics professor at Virginia Tech, was elected vice chairman for next year and Lu Merritt Jr., area president for First Union Bank, was re-elected treasurer of the commission.

In other business, the commission also approved its proposed budget and action plan for 1994-95.

The commission plans to ask the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors for a budget of $222,634 next year.

Included in the budget are: $77,873 for the salaries of the commission's three staff members; $20,000 for engineering services for the development of the Falling Branch Industrial Park; $10,000 to purchase land options on potential industrial sites; $7,000 to market the area to potential industries; and $7,000 to purchase two new computers and a color printer.

Lewis said the commission plans to lobby the Board of Supervisors and County Administrator Betty Thomas hard to get the entire budget request approved.

"We're going to be more aggressive this year than ever before," he said. The commission's action plan, which serves as a blueprint for the next 12 months, includes the following proposed initiatives:

Develop criteria for offering incentives to new industry and existing industries that want to expand.

Pursue a joint venture with Radford to develop an industrial park in the Virginia 177 corridor.

Collect data on exporting to assist local industries.

Continue the county's shell building program. 


 by CNB