VCEDA was in attendance and exhibited at the Governor's Summit on Rural Prosperity in Lexington, VA. The event brought together rural leaders, policymakers and stakeholders from across the Commonwealth to discuss rural economic development, leadership and community advancement.

Cozy cabins, a wedding venue and ultimately a mountain coaster experience all in one location is what Carolyn and Greg Wimmer have planned as they develop Wimmers Woodlands, a destination tourist spot, in the Abbs Valley section of Tazewell County, VA, vceda.us/vceda-seed-capital-…

Custom garments, sewing repairs and alterations, precision laser cutting services for fabrics and material and on-site sewing machine repairs are among the services to be offered by Gerald Vandyke as he opens DMG Sewing LLC. vceda.us/dmg-sewing-llc-appr…

VCEDA Business Development Specialists Diane Thomas and Charlotte Mullins will be at the SWVA Small Business Symposium: Access to Capital meeting at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Oct. 21. Still time to register: eventbrite.com/e/2026-southw…

VCEDA, one of the LEAD SWVA program sponsors, was pleased to host the current LEAD SWV cohort in Lebanon, VA last week. VCEDA Executive Director/General Counsel Jonathan Belcher provided an overview of VCEDA and its history and impact in the region. #vceda

VCEDA was in attendance at the EO Year in Review meeting and luncheon, Oct. 1 at the EO Center in Abingdon, VA. VCEDA Business Development Specialist Diane Thomas, right, represented VCEDA at the event. She is pictured here with EO Board Member AJ Robinson, of Tazewell County.

From pastries and cinnamon rolls, to savory quiches, ham and swiss croissants, custom made cakes and more, BB’s Bakery & Café in Pennington Gap, VA offers a varied menu, said owner Briana Belcher, who prides herself on making items from scratch daily. vceda.us/bbs-bakery-cafe-app…

Premium residential remodeling and custom home building services grounded in craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail are what David Lawson strives to bring to every job with his new business, Lawson Custom Builders, LLC in Wise, VA. vceda.us/vceda-seed-capital-…

Solar development in Southwest Virginia was the topic of discussion at a community meeting of the Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia, October 1. Community members in attendance had the opportunity to learn more about solar development in the region. #vceda #solarworkgroup

ICYMI: VCEDA issued its periodic e-news brief last week! If you are not already a subscriber, to be added to our email list, send your email address to news@vceda.us and we'll get you signed up to stay in the know! Read it here: vceda.us/vceda-e-news-brief-…

Smoked meats and tasty sides were foods Jimmy Osborne cooked just for family and friends until last year when he decided to turn his passion for cooking into a business, purchasing a food truck and opening Jimmy’s Pit Stop BBQ, LLC. vceda.us/vceda-seed-capital-…

Kandi Sigmon has always had a passion for baking and cake decorating, but took things to a new level when she opened her new business, Kandi Kakes, LLC in North Tazewell, VA, specializing in made-to-order cakes and sweet treats. vceda.us/kandi-kakes-llc-app…

An up to $80,000 matching grant from VCEDA to be used to finance a feasibility and economic impact study and pilot test of manufacturing Small Vertical Wind Turbine Energy Recovery Systems was closed recently with the Buchanan County IDA. vceda.us/vceda-approves-8000…

VCEDA was a sponsor and exhibited at the fourth annual CreatorCon, an entrepreneurship conference, held at UVA Wise on September 23 and 24. Chancellor Donna Henry welcomed the attendees, founders, creators, students, entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders from across SWV. #vceda

As Tabitha Shipley looked at property along Dickenson Highway in Clintwood, VA, she saw the potential it had to serve both residents and visitors traveling through the county as she opened Tasty Treats Drive In in Clintwood, VA. vceda.us/tasty-treats-drive-…

A $250,000 grant to the Buchanan County IDA for planning, design, engineering, permitting and costs associated for a new water tank to serve the Southern Gap development in Buchanan County, VA was recently approved by VCEDA. vceda.us/250000-vceda-grant-…

From glowing mini-golf to action-packed laser tag, Appalachian Asenso, LLC in Pennington Gap, VA, offers a number of options to those looking for fun family activities in the region. Dillon and Irene Roberts developed the new business. vceda.us/vceda-seed-capital-…

VCEDA Executive Director/General Counsel Jonathan Belcher, right, represented VCEDA at the Virginia Economic Developers Association (VEDA) fall conference in Danville, VA, September 23-25. VCEDA is also a VEDA annual patron.

Business Development Specialist Charlotte Mullins (center) represented VCEDA at the Composites and Advanced Materials Expo, September 21-24, in Atlanta, GA. CAMX is the largest, most comprehensive composites and advanced materials event in North America.

Ride the trails. Shop the Post. Store with ease. It’s a simple concept, according to Clint and Sharon Lester as they develop Southern Gap Enterprise, LLC’s Southern Gap Trading Post-Hardware and Storage on Rt. 744 in Buchanan County. vceda.us/vceda-seed-capital-…