Press Room

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Alan Fogg, Director of Communication
afogg@fceda.org, 703-790-0600 (o) or 571-213-5065 (m)

Fairfax County companies create 1,081 jobs in May, FCEDA says

Native American woman-owned Arrowhead Space & Telecommunications, six other companies bring 2002 job total to more than 3,700 so far

Fairfax County, Virginia, June 24, 2002 — Almost 1,100 jobs—most in information technology fields—were added or will be added to the Fairfax County economy by seven companies that worked with the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority in May, according to the FCEDA. Among the companies adding jobs was Arrowhead Space & Telecommunications Inc., a native American woman-owned defense contractor that recently moved into Fairfax County from Falls Church, Virginia.

Other companies announcing new jobs in May were PEC Solutions, which develops Web-based solutions for government agencies; the U.S. headquarters of Deutsche Post Global Mail, an international mail and logistics management service provider that is a division of Germany’s Deutsche Post; business software giant Oracle Corporation; Approva Inc., a software firm that recently moved from Houston; TalkingNets, which provides Internet-based telecommunications services; and SoftBase Consulting, an Asian American-owned e-business technology firm headquartered in San Jose, California.

"Arrowhead chose Fairfax County for our new corporate headquarters based on its accessibility to our primary client, the U.S. government, and our employee base," said Mary Ann Elliott, Arrowhead’s president and CEO, whom Defense Daily named among the 40 most influential players in global defense in 1998. "Fairfax is centrally located for headquarters personnel who live throughout the D.C. area, and the county offers a wealth of skilled and trained potential new employees. Arrowhead will double in revenues and employees this year and we predict we will double again in 2003."

"These firms represent the types of companies we want to attract. Arrowhead is a perfect example of the diverse business personality of Fairfax County. These are growing, highly successful businesses that contribute greatly to our quality of life," said Gerald L. Gordon, president and CEO of the FCEDA.

Typically, every new job in the primary economy spins off about two to three jobs in the secondary economy. Business growth in Fairfax County helps fund one of the nation’s top-rated public school systems and excellent public services, and shifts the tax burden away from residents. Technology-sector jobs also typically pay higher-than-average salaries. That is why Fairfax County has the highest median household income of any large locality in the nation, according to the Census Bureau.

Companies that have worked with the FCEDA so far in 2002 have created or will create more than 3,700 jobs. Fairfax County offers a state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure, access to domestic and international markets through Washington Dulles International Airport, a well-educated workforce and an excellent quality of life.

The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (www.FairfaxCountyEDA.org) assists businesses by identifying possible sites and facilities, and is a source for up-to-date demographic and economic statistics. The FCEDA also has marketing representatives in London, Frankfurt and Tokyo.

Details about relocations and expansions totaling 1,081 jobs in May:

# # #