BRISTOL, Va. – For the second year in a row, Bristol Virginia has been recognized as one of the 21 most intelligent communities in the world for its expansive use of broadband to improve quality of life and economic opportunities in the city and across Southwest Virginia. 

Known as “Smart21,” the honor is the first phase for cities vying for the 2010 Intelligent Community of the Year award, a competition sponsored by the New York City-based Intelligent Community Forum (ICF). The ICF receives hundreds of applications annually from communities large and small, urban and rural, and from both industrialized and developing nations who have ventured into the world of fiber-optic broadband. 

The top 21 communities for 2010 were named in New York City on Oct. 16 at the residence of the Consulate General of Sweden, who was representing the City of Stockholm – the 2009 Intelligent Community of the Year winner. The semi-finalists are chosen based on a number of “intelligent community indicators,” including broadband connectivity, knowledge workforce, innovation, digital inclusion and marketing and advocacy.  

“We are pleased to have once again risen to the top in this impressive competition,” says Bristol Virginia Mayor Jim Rector. “Our leaders have gained a great deal of information by going through this process and having the opportunity to review what other communities around the world have done to integrate broadband into their local economies and improve the quality of life for their citizens. We believe we are doing much of the same for the people and businesses in our region. It is truly an extraordinary opportunity.” 

Bristol Virginia made an impressive showing in 2009 as the only American city to survive to the final round of Top Seven Intelligent Communities of the Year. “We’re not resting on our laurels from last year’s award,” says BVU Board Chairman Paul Hurley. “With the recent formation of our Community Broadband Integration Team to find new applications for our broadband service, we’re looking to continue providing the people of Bristol and our region with every opportunity to improve their quality of life.” 

The competition is carried out in three phases. Early in 2010, the ICF will narrow the list of 21 global semi-finalists to seven at the Pacific Telecommunications Council conference.  The ICF will then announce an overall winner in May at its annual summit held in New York City.

In 2003, BVU OptiNet was the nation’s first municipal utility to launch a fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) broadband network offering voice, cable and data services. 

The Smart21 of 2010
The Smart21 list of 2010 includes communities from 13 nations and from every continent except Africa. 

• Arlington County, Virginia USA; population: 210,000
• Ballarat, Australia; population: 88,000
• Besancon, France; population: 122,000
• Bristol, Virginia, USA; population: 17,590
• Dakota County, Minnesota, USA; population: 398,500
• Danville, Virginia, USA; population: 42,000
• Dublin, Ohio, USA; population: 40,000
• Dundee, Scotland; population: 142,000
• Eindhoven, The Netherlands; population: 733,000
• Gold Coast City, Queensland, Australia; population: 500,000
• Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada; population: 65,000
• Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; population: 1,148,000
• Porto Alegre, Brazil; population: 1,416,000
• Riverside, California, USA; population: 296,800
• Suwon, Korea; population: 52,000
• Tallinn, Estonia; population: 404,000
• Taoyuan County, Taiwan; population: 1,970,000
• Tel Aviv, Israel; population: 391,300
• Tianjin Binhai, China; population: 2,020,000
• Trikala,

More about Bristol Virginia and BVU honorsBristol Virginia and BVU have received a number of other prestigious awards in recent years. These include the 2009 Community Broadband Fiber Network of the Year Award from the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors; 2009 Smart21 and Top Seven awards from the Intelligent Community Forum; 2008 Gold Award for Municipal Excellence from the National League of Cities ; Governor’s Technology Award (2008) from Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine; Cornerstone Award for Outstanding Customer Service (2007) from Broadband Properties Magazine; Smart Community Award (2008) from Last Mile magazine; and the American Public Power Association Community Service Award (2008).  

About ICF
The Intelligent Community Forum (www.intelligentcommunity.org) is a think tank that studies the economic and social development of the 21st century community. Whether in industrial or developing nations, communities are challenged to create prosperity, stability and cultural meaning in a world where jobs, investment and progress increasingly depend on broadband communications. The Intelligent Community Forum seeks to share the secrets of success of the world’s intelligent communities in adapting to the demands of the broadband economy by conducting research, hosting events, publishing newsletters and producing an international awards program.

Who says Southwest Virginia isn’t the home place of celebrities? You may be surprised to hear that a few of your neighbors in Giles County are big names in the way of the Internet industry. According to the April issue of Valley Business FRONT, Giles resident Bernie Cosell is the man who “turned on” the Internet and Ray Tomlinson is the man who launched e-mail.

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Originally I had planned on writing my next blog about cover letters to follow my recent blog “The Resume: Your First Impression”, but after attending a couple of career fairs recently, I realized there is a much more pressing matter: dressing for success.

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When it comes to applying for a job, nothing will make you stand out more than your resume. Typically your resume is the first thing that employers see after you’ve applied for a job, and therefore it’s also your first impression. As they say, first impressions always last, so it is imperative that your resume sells what you have to offer.

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What do you want to be when you grow up?

You may think that this question only applied to you when you were five, but just because you’ve already obtained your Bachelors or Masters Degree in a specific field does not mean you can’t explore a range of career options.

In recent generations, it was expected that a person would go through two to three jobs before settling down… In today’s generation it is expected that a person will go through two to three careers before figuring out what suits their skills and interests most. So what are your options?

Researching your industry and field is the best way to open your eyes to the many directions you can take in your own career path. For most technical jobs, certification in specific areas is generally a requirement for different specializations, but for liberal arts majors, the opportunities are virtually limitless.

CareerFYI has a list of resources for exploring industries ranging from the real estate market to the video gaming market.  WetFeet offers job seekers insight into both the industry and career of their choice. This site can offer you guidance into what city your industry is booming in, as well as what companies are the major players. Not only will the site tell you what your job prospects are for a specific field, but it will also give you some tips for breaking into an industry.

If you feel like just a number among many in a PR firm, try working in the PR department for a specific company whose products interest you. If you’re bored of the environment of an IT company, showcase your technology skills for a company in an industry such as education or nonprofit. It may just be a matter of changing your work environment or location. For example, if you have sales experience but don’t feel like your work is very rewarding, take a look on the Return to Roots career site at the opportunity to work as an Admissions Representative for National College.

The learning process never ends, and it’s never too late to get another degree or change the direction of your career path. Simply switching industries or relocating to a more desirable location may be all it takes to reignite that passion in your career field. Check out the Return to Roots listing of higher education opportunities in Southwest Virginia to find out where you can obtain an advanced degree or certification. Now is the time to explore what you want to be when you grow up.

-Kristina Ticknor

Despite the hope of a new administration, we can’t ignore the downward-spiraling recession and glaring unemployment rates that splash the headlines each morning. For the currently employed, this evokes fear of layoffs and downsizing. But what does the economy mean for job seekers?

All hope is not lost. There are plenty of opportunities out there – it’s just a matter of where to look, and how to sell yourself to an employer. Throughout the next few weeks I will be providing advice to job seekers interested in opportunities in Southwest Virginia, including resume and interview tips, dressing for success, etc. 

To start off, let’s take a look at what industries are still hiring:

1. Education – According to the US Bureau of Statistics, teaching is generally “recession-proof”, but be mindful of demographics and where the teaching opportunities are located. In fact, 5 positions in education are currently available on the Return to Roots Career site.
2. Energy and Environmental sector – With the Obama administration, I think it’s safe to say that the government will start developing new technologies in alternative energy and “going green”. Look for companies that focus on sustainable business and are geared toward helping this movement.
3. Health Care – Health services such as medical assistants, physical therapists, physician’s assistants, home health aides, etc. are growing faster than ever, says the US Bureau of Statistics. There is even a position for Physical Therapist located on the Return to Roots Career site.
4. Government – Whether you’re working directly for a government owned agency or with a company doing contract work for the government, they never seem to be low on funds. Northrop Grumman’s Southwest Virginia office in Lebanon currently has 8 opportunities posted on their career website.

Regardless of industry, there are some general tips to consider in today’s economy. The two things that have been drilled into my mind by career advisors on college campuses are always start looking early, and remember the importance of networking. As a recent December 2008 graduate, I have first-hand experience looking for a job in this economy. Start looking months in advance, because some companies forward hire, while others only recruit for immediate hire. Lastly, don’t forget about that friend-of-a-friend who is the vice president at the company of your dreams. Networking goes a long way.

Stay tuned throughout the upcoming weeks for more job seeker advice. For more job search tips, see the links below:

• http://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/SixTopTips.htm
• http://www.indeed.com/tools/jobseeker/
• http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-703-Job-Search-Top-10-Online-Job-Search-Tips/
• http://jobsearch.about.com/cs/jobsearchhelp/a/jobtips.htm

- Kristina Ticknor

One of my favorite scenes from Elf with Will Farrell is when he takes his love interest to Chock Full-a Nuts in New York City to have what is advertised as The World’s Best Coffee—and she does a spit take. I use to live in NYC and admit that I too have been a victim of this false advertising.

However! Right here in Southwest Virginia we’ve got a secret. Are you listening? We’ve got the world’s best coffee. Dark Hollow Micro Roasters in Sugar Grove, VA is owned and operated by a husband and wife team who, after much research and traveling to globe, settled in Southwest Virginia to roast delicious fresh, organic, and fair trade java. I heard John speak at an Entrepreneur Express Workshop in Marion, VA not too long ago, and found his story to be quite compelling. So compelling that I had to try this coffee. I scolded him for not bringing samples after speaking so convincingly about his product! Didn’t catch his last name and their website is still under construction. But I did stop at a store on the way home and bought a pound of the blend Cowboy Up! ($8.65) which I highly recommend. You can purchase the coffee from the website.

Hopefully, John will flesh out the “About Us” section of his website because it’s a great tale of following one’s passion. Virginia’s Great Southwest is fertile ground for entrepreneurships, and there are so many avenues of support in SWVA for small business owners either through the Entrepreneur Express Workshops offered through Virginia Start Up or through the Virginia Department of Business Assistance. The workshops impressed me with how much useful information is offered for free to new business or potential business owners. Southwest Virginia opens its arms to the small business owner and is willing to give a leg up in many ways. Come on down!

-Lucinda McDermott Piro