Date: Thursday, December 19, 2019

Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM

Location: Angell’s School of Dance, 19 Centre Court, Palmyra. This is off of Slice Road, across the entrance drive from the Dogwood Restaurant, in the court with CK Jewelers and Rick Wells’ Chiropractic office.

Champions: Mike Feazel, Dennis Dunne, Kathleen Kilpatrick, Roger Burns

Speakers:

First Panel: (6:45-7:45 p.m.)

Bryan Rothamel is Fluvanna’s Economic Development Coordinator. Bryan grew up in the county and graduated from FCHS in 2006. He got a journalism degree from High Point University in 2009 and worked for a Fortune 500 company for five years before transitioning to a small business his father owned. Bryan’s work in the last year in the Economic Development Office has been centered on creating what he calls “local solutions for local problems,” including workforce development, expanding the customer base and attracting new businesses.

Howie Brown, Wahoo BBQ owner

Darryl Gibson, Atlantic Union Bank , manager Palmyra branch. Graduate of Wright State University in Dayton Ohio with a BA in History. In banking for over 15 years, all of which have been in management. Darryl has been in the financial industry for 20 years, with experience in insurance sales and financial advising as well as traditional banking:  He is to be married January 31 and has three children ages 26, 24 and 20. In his spare time Darryl enjoys good wine, reading and music: playing, listening, writing and recording it.

Second Panel: (8-8:50 p.m.)

The second panel will discuss opportunities and challenges in developing a skilled workforce and other things to meet the needs of employers in Fluvanna, as well as economic development in general. Speakers will include:

Andy Sorrell, who has been a Fluvanna resident since 2004. Andy began his career in Fluvanna as a county planner and worked for several more rural localities before managing the Commonwealth’s Office of Farmland Preservation. Since 2018, Andy has served as the Deputy Director of the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission which promotes the economic growth and development of communities in southern and southwest Virginia using the proceeds of the national tobacco settlement. Andy has served on the Fluvanna Ag. and Forestry District Advisory Committee and since 2016 and on the Fluvanna Economic Development and Tourism Advisory Council, serving as chair since 2018.

Patricia Eager represents the Palmyra District on the Fluvanna County Board, and is the county board representative to the Economic Development and Tourism Advisory Council. She’s a long-time county resident, has a strong background in business, and is a graduate of the Fluvanna Leadership Development Program.

Rudy Garcia has lived in Fluvanna County since 2001. He owns his own Financial Services business, is a graduate of Class 9 and has been on the Steering Committee since Class 10. He’s past President of the Fluvanna Rotary Club, a member of the Fluvanna Chamber of Commerce, serves as the Citizen Rep for the County Finance Board and teaches personal financial management classes for Fluvanna Habitat for Humanity.

Brenda Gilliam is the Executive Director for Instruction and Finance for Fluvanna County Public Schools. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from James Madison University and a Master of Education degree in school and community agency counseling from the University of Virginia, plus an endorsement in Administration and Supervision from the University of Virginia. She’s been a school counselor, high school assistant principal, elementary school principal, high school principal, and director of curriculum and instruction, all in rural Virginia.

Valerie Palamountain is Dean of Workforce Services at Piedmont Virginia Community College, working with employers and economic development agencies within the Charlottesville region.  She earlier held a similar position at Bucks County Community College, and worked in private industry for 15 years in project management in the information technology industry, consulting with Fortune 1000 companies. She has a Bachelor’s degree in English from Skidmore College, and a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from the University at Albany. She was selected as a Fulbright Specialist in Bermuda (2018) and Kolkata, India (2014). She is the chair of Jefferson Area Children’s Health Improvement Project Board of Directors, past-president of the Albemarle County Rotary Club, and on the boards of the Workforce Investment Board and the Fluvanna County Chamber of Commerce.  She was elected to the Lake Monticello Owners Association Board of Directors in 2011, was Secretary 2011-12, and President 2012-14.