Last week, Jason El Koubi, the newly-named President and Chief Executive Officer of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), was presented with Business Facilities’ 2021 State of the Year-Best Overall Business Climate Award by the magazine’s Editorial Director Seth Mendelson.
The Business Facilities’ editorial team considers such factors as workforce development, government regulations, infrastructure, standard and costs of living, and educational system when picking the winner of the State of the Year—Best Overall Business Climate award. The announcement was part of the cover story of the January/February issue of Business Facilities magazine.
“Virginia has an extremely impressive record across the board that makes it easy for businesses to relocate and expand to the commonwealth,” said Mendelson. “The proof is in the pudding and Virginia has a long list of companies that are choosing to make the commonwealth home because of what is offered to them from the very start. Virginia is investing in the future through workforce development programs, state-of-the-art infrastructure and an advanced educational system from kindergarten right through college and even beyond.”
Added El Koubi: “We are thrilled to be the winner of this prestigious award. We think we deserve it based on our business-friendly environment, top transportation system and being a state that places a tremendous emphasis on recruiting and developing the top talent that encourages companies to come here.
“Our goal now is to build on this, by accelerating and solidifying our economic strengths in the year ahead,” he continued.
On the same day of the award presentation, El Koubi was named permanent President and CEO of VEDP in an unanimous vote by the partnership’s board of directors. He had been the acting president and CEO for the last three months and, before that, served as Executive Vice President of the Richmond, VA-based organization since 2017.
Virginia last won the Business Facilities State of the Year award in 2018. You can read the full story on Virginia’s 2021 State of the Year—Best Business Climate Award here.
