Northern Virginia companies can now apply for the 2005 CARE (Companies As Responsive Employers) Awards administered by Northern Virginia Family Service. Applications are available online and must be submitted by June 10.
The CARE Awards recognize businesses located, but not necessarily headquartered, in Northern Virginia that are leaders in promoting a positive work-life balance for employees through company policies and benefits. The program was developed by Northern Virginia Family Service and area business leaders, not only to give recognition to family-friendly companies, but also to encourage and challenge other companies to examine their policies and programs. Since 1992, the CARE Awards have identified the best places to work in Northern Virginia.
The application can be downloaded from www.nvfs.org/applyforcare.pdf. Applicants are evaluated against other businesses of like size and resources. Award winners are recognized at a breakfast to be held Thursday, Nov. 17 at the Hilton McLean in Tysons Corner.
The IDI Group Companies of Arlington have announced the promotion of five IDI staff members to vice presidents. Virginia residents Carlos Cecchi of Alexandria, Enrico Cecchi of McLean, Patrick J. Rhodes Jr. of Middleburg and Bruce Rieder of Arlington, as well as Jolene Zangardi of Olney, Md., have all been named vice presidents.
Bruce Rieder, of Arlington, joined IDI in 1980 as project coordinator and customer service director for Parkfairfax in Alexandria. His subsequent positions included project coordinator for Belle View in Alexandria, assistant project manager for The Belvedere in Arlington and tenant improvements manager for Techworld Plaza in Washington, D.C. He later became assistant project manager and then project manager for Carlyle Towers in Alexandria, Virginia. Rieder is now assigned as a project manager at IDI's Leisure World of Maryland communities, as well as being charged with evaluation of new project opportunities.
WSI, a leader in Internet consulting and education, announces the launch of a new office in Arlington. WSI's latest office, run by Tanzin Alam and Lawrence Speed, will provide local businesses with specialized Internet business strategies.
WSI recognizes that as Internet technologies emerge and continue to influence the way business is done, having a Web site is not enough. The help businesses conform to and capitalize on this change by positioning them at the forefront of the digital revolution. WSI provides clients with a technologically advanced, search engine-friendly Web solution. Visit www.managedwsiwebsolutions.com.
Cannon Design, which has a regional center in Arlington, has announced that Lala-Rukh Waqar Matties, RA, has joined the firm's Mid-Atlantic operations as project manager. Waqar Matties is an experienced architect who has worked on government and healthcare facility projects throughout the U.S. and overseas and is currently serving as project manager for Cannon's nationwide contract with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
“Generating a Return: How NASDAQ Rebranded for Real Value” is presented by the DC chapter of the American Marketing Association as part of its Inside Track series on Wednesday, April 20 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Arlington Economic Development Center, 1100 N. Glebe Road, Suite 1500. The speaker is John L. Jacobs, CMO, NASDAQ Costs are: $30 for members, ($25 until April 6), $45 for nonmembers, ($40 until April 6) and $20 for students, with a $10 additional fee for late registration. Pre-register online at www.amadc.org. For more information call the AMA-DC office at 703-683-4883 or e-mail program@amadc.org.
First Edition Toastmasters meets every Friday at noon at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1030, Arlington. The diverse membership of this Toastmasters chapter includes small-business owners and employees with a variety of government agencies and associations. Visit to find out how Toastmasters can improve skills in all areas of public speaking and communicate more effectively. Call Barbara Hicks at 703-558-2266, or visit www.firsteditiontm.org .
The Arlington Chapter of Business Networking International (BNI) meets for breakfast every Tuesday from 7:30-9 a.m. at the Arlington Holiday Inn, N. 4610 Fairfax Drive, Arlington. BNI leverages the power of word-of-mouth marketing and offers members the opportunity to share ideas, contacts and referrals as they grow their business. Only one person per professional classification or specialty may join a chapter. For more information, please contact Greg Brewer at 703-237-2705.
The Northern Virginia Business Referrals group meets every Tuesday at 7 a.m. for breakfast at the Metro 29 Diner, 4711 Lee Highway, Arlington. The group facilitates networking by limiting membership to one member per profession and has been in existence since 1996. For more information on Northern Virginia Business Referrals, call 703-312-7117, or visit the NVBR Web site, www.nvbr.org.
Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), the nation's largest bi-partisan women's business group, is creating a WIPP National Partners Advisory Board that will comprise of women business leaders from coast to coast. Karen Maples, president of MYUTIQ in Arlington, will serve on the Board and co-chair the Strategic Alliance and Coalition Partners Council with Sarah McLaughlin, president of The Renaissance Group Ltd. in Arlington, and two other women.
The Small Business Development Center at the Arlington Campus of George Mason University has announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is providing long-term loans at low interest rates for small businesses that have been impacted by having personnel in the National Guard or reserves called to active duty. The program is called the Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan.
Loans of up to $1.5 million are available at interest rates up to 4 percent. Terms can be as long as 30 years depending on individual cases. Loans of $5,000 or less do not require any collateral, while loans above that amount require collateral to the extent it is available.
For additional information or help with a loan application, contact the Arlington SBDC at 703-993-8128. The Center is located at the George Mason Campus, 3401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 320.