HomeMy Public PortalAboutTOL PR 2011-10-18 MEC ribbon cutting
Town of Leesburg
News Release
For Immediate Release
Leesburg and Loudoun County Celebrate New Mason
Enterprise Center With Ribbon Cutting On October 26th, 2011
Leesburg, VA (October 18, 2011) – George
Mason University, the Town of Leesburg,
Loudoun County, the Loudoun Small Business
Development Center, and the Loudoun
Chamber of Commerce will celebrate the
opening of the new Mason Enterprise Center
Leesburg/Loudoun County with a ribbon
cutting at 5:00 pm on Wednesday, October
26, 2011. The grand opening marks the end
of a four-year collaborative effort within the
business community to bring a business
incubator to Leesburg.
"George Mason University, through its Mason
Enterprise Center, is proud to partner with the Town of Leesburg and Loudoun County in the
creation and operation of this significant regional business assistance center to support and
encourage entrepreneurial engagement, business expansion, and job creation," said Keith
Segerson, Mason's Associate Vice President for Economic Development.
The effort to establish a Leesburg business incubator began in March 2007, when the Leesburg
Economic Development Commission identified the need for a feasibility study as part of the
Town’s economic development strategic plan. At about the same time, both the Town and
Loudoun County created task forces or ad hoc committees – comprised largely of successful
entrepreneurs and business leaders within the community – that played important roles in
generating interest in pursuing the development of a business incubator. The Town funded a
feasibility study, which was completed by George Mason University in May 2009. In August
2010, the Town signed a lease for the building at 202 Church Street SE to house the business
incubator. A month later, Loudoun County committed $100,000 to underwrite half of the
incubator’s initial operating costs, sharing the funding support with the Town of Leesburg. The
Mason Enterprise Center Leesburg/Loudoun County opened in October 2010 at a temporary
location in downtown Leesburg and moved into the new building at 202 Church Street SE last
month.
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“After years of working together with George Mason University and Loudoun County, the
reality of a finished building and the buzz of activity from Mason Enterprise Center clients is
very satisfying,” said Marantha Edwards, Leesburg’s Economic Development Manager.
“Leesburg’s new Mason Enterprise Center is a great addition to the small business and
entrepreneurial support network that is key to growing and sustaining Loudoun’s economic
development,” added Tom Flynn, Loudoun County’s Director of Economic Development.
The new business incubator occupies the entire building at 202 Church Street SE and includes
the office of the Town’s Economic Development Department and the Loudoun Small Business
Development Center as well as client company space and telework stations. The client
company space consists of twenty-nine private offices (a client company can occupy more than
one office). At the present time, fourteen client companies have signed leases; several more
companies are in final interviews. The incubator is managed by the Mason Enterprise Center
(MEC), a major outreach program of George Mason University’s School of Public Policy,
supporting the University’s goals of regional economic development and job
creation/retention. The Regional Manager for the Mason Enterprise Center Leesburg/Loudoun
Center is Susan Henson, who joined the MEC staff earlier this month.
In her new role, Ms. Henson will oversee all
operations, planning, community outreach,
marketing, client support and staff supervision for
the newly opened Mason Enterprise Center
Leesburg. Chief among her responsibilities will be
promoting the benefits of the incubator to the
business community and sharing the facility with
potential tenants. Ms. Henson brings over twenty
years of experience in tactical business advising,
innovative program development, training, human
resources, customer service, operations, retail
management and apparel manufacturing to the
Mason Enterprise Center Leesburg.
“The Mason Enterprise Center Leesburg/Loudoun County is a place where incubator clients—
both resident and virtual—can develop and grow in a shared business community while having
access to a broad spectrum of targeted resources to enhance their success and staff who are
here to motivate them to achieve more than they could on in a solo capacity,” explained Susan.
“I’m thrilled at the opportunity to be part of this exciting new venture.”
A graduate of Virginia Tech, Ms. Henson recently returned to Virginia from a regional position
with the University of Missouri Extension, Small Business and Technology Development Centers
in Kansas City. On the faculty at the University of Missouri in Columbia for ten years as the
Coordinator of MO-TAC (Missouri Textile & Apparel Center), she developed a statewide
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program and association serving the business and industry needs of the textile and apparel
sector. Ms. Henson’s career has also included positions with Best Buy Stores, with Saks Fifth
Avenue, as well as Director of Operations for a non-profit educational services company.
“We’re delighted to have Susan on board as the latest member of the Leesburg/Loudoun
entrepreneurial development team,” said Marantha Edwards. “Susan brings a wealth of
experience to our programs and I’m looking forward to working with her, the Small Business
Development Center team and Loudoun County Economic Development to energize the
entrepreneurial business community here in Leesburg and Loudoun County.”
Contact:
Marantha Edwards
Economic Development Manager
medwards@leesburgva.gov
703-737-7019
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