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Contact: Alan Fogg, Director, Communications,
afogg@fceda.org, 703-790-0600 (o) or 571-213-5065 (m)
George Mason University’s Final Four team isn’t the only surprising thing about Fairfax County
Lots of “hoopla” in one of nation’s best business and technology centers
Fairfax County, Virginia USA, March 28, 2006 - As the George Mason University (GMU) Patriots prepare for the Final Four round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament this weekend, many people want to know more about the university and its home. GMU is based in Fairfax County, which is minutes from Washington, D.C., and is a business and technology center. Here are some Fairfax County facts:
Our People:
- Fairfax County is home to more than 1 million residents, the most populous jurisdiction in Virginia and the Washington area.
- 57 percent of the adults have at least a bachelor’s degree.
- The median family income is $90,194 (one of the highest in the country).
Our Businesses:
- Nearly 30,000 businesses with payrolls are located here, including 4,900 technology firms.
- Six Fortune 500 companies are headquartered here: Capital One Financial, Gannett, General Dynamics, NVR, Sallie Mae and Sprint Nextel.
- More than 600,000 people work in Fairfax County.
- Fairfax County is home to six of the 100 largest African American-owned companies in the U.S., 11 of the 500 largest Hispanic-owned businesses, five of the 100 largest Asian-owned companies, and 325 foreign-owned firms.
Our Schools:
- Fairfax County Public Schools is one of the largest – and highest-ranked – school systems in the country. Nearly 90 percent of high school graduates move on to post-secondary education.
- Two hundred Fairfax County Public Schools students were named National Merit scholarship Semifinalists for 2006.
- George Mason University is the largest university in Virginia.
Our Community:
- Fairfax County has award-winning parks and library systems, and was named a Digital County for its wealth of e-government services.
- Money magazine named the town of Vienna, located in the heart of Fairfax County, as the fourth best place to live in America.
- Wolf Trap National Park , America ’s only national park for the performing arts, is here. So is the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum.
- George Mason’s home, Gunston Hall, is in Fairfax County near the home of another famous George - George Washington. His Mount Vernon Estate is located along the Potomac River.
"George Mason University is one of the crown jewels of Fairfax County,” said Gerald L. Gordon, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority. “A key ingredient in attracting entrepreneurs and helping them grow here is the presence of a strong research university. GMU has made tremendous strides in that area. We’re proud to be the home of the Patriots and of this growing institution.”
Business growth helps Fairfax County fund public services such as a top-ranked public school system and library, public safety, social services and park systems that improve the quality of life. Fairfax County offers diverse real estate options, access to domestic and international markets through Washington Dulles International Airport, a business community based on technology and professional services, and a well-educated workforce.
About the FCEDA (www.FairfaxCountyEDA.org)
The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority promotes Fairfax County as a business and technology center. The FCEDA maintains overseas marketing offices in Bangalore, Frankfurt, London, Seoul and Tel Aviv.
NOTE TO EDITORS AND PRODUCERS: High resolution images and b-roll video is available of Fairfax County.
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