The Southern Virginia Regional Alliance will place the region on the map for business leaders and prospective companies, leaders say.
"I think this is going to be the extra boost we need to take our economic development efforts in Southern Virginia to the next level, and I think we're going to see that pay off over the course of the months and years to come with even more positive good news and jobs announcements," said Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling during Friday's alliance kickoff at the Riverstone Centre in South Boston.
The regional alliance — representing Danville, Martinsville and Pittsylvania, Halifax, Henry and Patrick counties — will start hitting the road to tell Southside Virginia's story within the next couple of months, said Executive Director Leigh Cockram. The alliance has been compiling regional data and creating marketing materials.
The region can offer more graduates, workforce training sites, infrastructure and other resources than any one city or county alone, she said.
Once the alliance attracts potential business clients to the area, then it's up to local economic developers to seal a deal, Cockram explained.
"We all have a role to play in promoting where we live and what we're trying to accomplish for the future," she said.