<i>Send announcements to the Reston Connection, 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102, send an e-mail to reston@connectionnewspapers.com or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is Thursday 5 p.m. for the following week's paper. Photos/artwork encouraged. Call Meghan Williams at 703-917-6407 with questions. This free listing is reserved for activities and events that are open to the public at no or minimal cost.</i>
All veterans receive a free lunch or dinner entrée at McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants nationwide Sunday, Nov. 6 in honor of Veterans Day week. Vets should show proper identification (VA card, VFW card, veterans ID, discharge papers, etc.). Reservations are strongly encouraged. Participating restaurants include McCormick & Schmick’s at Reston Town Center, 703-481-6600, which opens at 11:30 a.m.
Business and Professional Women of Greater Fairfax will host Sharon Rainey, Founder of Neighbors Network in Great Falls, McLean, Vienna and Reston, speaking on "The Power of Connecting" at its monthly dinner meeting Nov. 14, 6:30-9 p.m., at Tysons Corner Embassy Suites, 8517 Leesburg Pike, Vienna. Cost is $25 for members and $30 for non-members. For information and reservations, call Elyse Galik at 703-652-8364.
OneVoice Communications, Inc., a provider of business and consumer telecommunications services based in Reston, announced the appointment of Christopher Kane as Vice President of Sales. Kane brings to OneVoice an extensive background in telecommunications sales. Most recently, Kane was Vice President, Enterprise Sales, at Broadwing Communications. He was charged with sales of the full suite of Broadwing products to Fortune 1500 companies in the East region of the U.S. as well as managing the largest 100 accounts.
Art education franchiser Abrakadoodle announced a move of its corporate headquarters. The company, which started franchising in 2004, vacated space which is reserved for eligible start-up companies. The new address is: Abrakadoodle Remarkable Art Education, 1800 Robert Fulton Dr., Suite 205, Reston, VA 20191. Call 703-860-6570, fax 703-860-6574, visit www.abrakadoodle.com or e-mail info@abrakadoodle.com.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is enhancing the detection and assessment capabilities of a tactical security system that helps protect U.S. military troops and assets at forward operating bases. The U.S. Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman's Mission Systems sector a contract to continue developing the Tactical Automated Security System. The enhanced TASS is an advanced open-systems command-and-control platform incorporated with standoff and perimeter-detection technology, immediate visual assessment, command-and-control display equipment and supporting power and communications infrastructures. These elements are enhanced through the integration of a wide array of detection and assessment technologies, including ground-surveillance radars, fiber-optic sensors, thermal imagers and closed-circuit television cameras.
This 21-month, $3.2 million award was made via the Integrated Base Defense Security Systems contract, an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract awarded to Northrop Grumman in August 2003 by the U.S. Air Force Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass. The contract is managed by the Force Protection Systems Squadron and is a multiple-award acquisition vehicle for meeting installation-security requirements worldwide.
Kfoury Construction Group, based in Reston, has been selected as the general contractor for the expansion and renovation of NeighborWorks America’s Washington, D.C. headquarters. This is the fourth project with NeighborWorks America for Kfoury, working with VOA Architects. NeighborWorks America is a national nonprofit organization created by Congress to provide financial support, technical assistance, and training for community-based revitalization efforts. Visit www.kfoury.com.
Washington Business Journal recognized
ARTEL, Inc., a global information technology and telecommunications leader, as one of the 50 fastest growing companies in Greater Washington at an evening awards reception Oct. 18 at The George Washington University. Founded in 1986, ARTEL is a global leader in information technology, providing a full spectrum of telecommunications, network management, solutions integration and information security services to meet the critical business and technology objectives of its clients. ARTEL was ranked number 23 on Washington Business Journal’s list of the top 50 "Fastest Growing Companies" and number 12 on the publication’s list of the top 25 "Fastest Growing Private Companies."
Companies were selected based upon three-year revenue-growth percentage and must have had 2002 revenue of more than $2 million and 2004 revenue of more than $10 million to be eligible. The fastest growing companies will also be profiled in a special supplement in the Oct. 21 edition of Washington Business Journal.
Visit www.artelinc.com or http://washington.bizjournals.com.
Reston Town Center announces the opening of Busara Thai Restaurant and Lounge at 11964 Market Street. Busara prepares authentic Thai cuisine, made with the freshest ingredients by experienced Thai chefs. Busara — a Thai word for "blue topaz" — is delighted to open its third location in the D.C. region, occupying 5,265 square feet in phase II of Reston Town Center, at the corner of Explorer Street. Busara offers a wide selection of seafood, meat and vegetarian selections for every palate, with the signature Thai touch of exotic spices. Busara Thai Restaurant & Lounge is open daily for lunch and dinner, and drinks in the lounge. Call 703-435-4188.
CTX Mortgage Company has opened a new office at 11490 Commerce Park Drive, #120 in Reston. CTX is one of the largest mortgage lenders in the country with offices currently in Alexandria, McLean, Manassas and Fairfax. The CTX Difference is a philosophy based on the idea of clients and loan officers working together as a team generating excellent service, going above and beyond expectations and staying in touch, keeping customers for life. CTX will begin sponsoring homebuying seminars next month. Call 703-956-3344.
Middleburg Bank presented a $500 check to Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Reston Company #25 at their annual open house Oct. 15. The funds will be used to purchase training materials at the station.
ARTEL, Inc., a global information technology and telecommunications leader, announced that Ed Spitler has been named a winner of the 2005 Washington Technology Government Channel Leadership Awards. Spitler, business unit director of satellite and telecommunications at ARTEL, is one of 15 winners selected by Washington Technology's editorial staff for his exemplary record of performance and leadership in his support of the government.
Spitler provided critical communications to the war fighters of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom and outstanding contributions to the United States’ net-centric war fighting strategy in Iraq. He is featured with fellow winners in the Oct. 24 award issue of Washington Technology.
Visit at www.artelinc.com or www.washingtontechnology.com.
Reston-based Comstock Homebuilding Companies, Inc. announced recently that founder and CEO Chris Clemente spoke at the Big Builder ’05 Conference, which was held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev. Nov. 2-4. Clemente participated in a five-member panel discussion entitled "The Infill Train: Are you Good Enough to Jump on Board?" Christopher Clemente founded Comstock in 1985 and serves as its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Visit www.comstockhomebuilding.com.
A.M. Executive Connections will hold its next roundtable breakfast meeting Wednesday, Nov. 16, 8-9:30 a.m. at Hidden Creek Country Club in Reston. The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce is the November breakfast sponsor. This monthly networking event is hosted by Reston-based Life/Career Management Coach Barbara LaRock. A.M. Executive Connections is held the third Wednesday of each month and features a full hot breakfast, complimentary display table for promotional literature and door prizes. Cost is $30 for pre-registration. Cost for walk-ins is $35. Contact Barbara LaRock at 703-709-8600, bml@barbaralarock.com, or via www.barbaralarock.com.
The Medical Aesthetique at The Austin-Weston Center is hosting a free educational seminar on professional skin care Nov. 9, 6-8 p.m. It will introduce attendees to the Obagi Nu-Derm System and the Obagi-C Rx System, which helps to correct surface discoloration, blemishes and stimulate cell renewal to bring back the glow and softness of healthy, younger-looking skin. Light refreshments will be served.
Seminar will be held at The Austin-Weston Center for Cosmetic Surgery, 1825 Samuel Morse Drive in Reston. Visit www.austin-weston.com or call 703-896-6168 to register to attend.
The Second Friday Studio Series presented by Dragonfly Asian Antiques & Collectibles and Mayflowers Design Showroom, 11411 Sunset Hills Rd, Reston. Programs will be held Nov. 11 and Dec. 9. Speaker begins at 7 p.m. Programs are free and include light refreshments. No reservations are needed. Call 703-467-8675.
Nov. 11: Fabric and flowers. Textiles have always been sought after even when commerce was conducted via overland caravans. Today's technology and design capabilities provide us with an unlimited array of fine fabrics and patterns. Washington Interiors fabric reps will show you the latest for your décor with matching boutique flower arrangements from Mayflowers to complete the picture.
The sixth annual Northern Virginia WAHMfest, the Work-At-Home Moms Expo, will take place Saturday, Nov. 12, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Executive Conference and Training Center in Dulles. WAHMfest is designed to connect parents with helpful business resources and legitimate work-at-home or flexible opportunities, which will allow them to better balance their families and their careers. Currently, approximately 30 exhibitors will be at WAHMfest with helpful information, business opportunities and advice from those who have already "been there." In addition to home-based opportunities such as Tupperware, Mary Kay or Pampered Chef, this year there will be door prize drawings and holiday gift ideas for those coming to browse. The Holiday Inn Dulles has donated the grand prize: a weekend overnight stay and brunch at the hotel for one lucky winner who pre-registers for the event. Visit www.wahmfest.org/nova, call 703-742-6694 or e-mail execdir@wahmfest.org.
The Austin-Weston Center for Cosmetic Surgery in Reston is resuming their monthly in-house educational seminars featuring contemporary lectures, slide shows and discussions about the latest cosmetic surgery procedures and techniques. These seminars are free and open to the public.
These lectures provide an opportunity for those interested in cosmetic surgery to get an overview of the possibilities, as well as become more familiar with the center and its surgeons. They run 10 a.m.-noon, at The Austin-Weston Center for Cosmetic Surgery, Nov. 19, at The Austin-Weston Center for Cosmetic Surgery, 1825 Samuel Morse Drive in Reston. Visit www.austin-weston.com or call 703-896-6168 to register to attend.
Five area businessmen will be inducted into the Washington Business Hall of Fame during the 18th annual induction ceremony, Nov. 29. Laureate induction into the Washington Business Hall of Fame is a lifetime achievement award for individuals who have made a major, positive impact on the Greater Washington Region through the private sector economy. Laureates are selected by a committee comprised of members of Junior Achievement, the Greater Washington Board of Trade and Washingtonian, as well as members of the business community. This year’s laureates include Raul Fernandez, the CEO of Reston-based Object Video.
LATER BUSINESS
The Second Friday Studio Series presented by Dragonfly Asian Antiques & Collectibles and Mayflowers Design Showroom, 11411 Sunset Hills Rd, Reston. Programs will be held Dec. 9. Speaker begins at 7 p.m. Programs are free and include light refreshments. No reservations are needed. Call 703-467-8675.
Dec. 9: It's a cherished tradition whether called chado, chi, or simply tea. From health benefits to heightened consciousness, tea is steam-rolling its way to the top of our all-time favorite beverage list. Learn from the experts on what is good for anti-oxidants, what can help you relax and how to prepare the perfect cup. Gift suggestions for the season and a chance to take a breather.