Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 30, 1993 TAG: 9309300149
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MICHAEL STOWE
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Lewis, representing Southwest Virginia, beat out three other regional winners for the award presented Thursday at the Virginia Department of Economic Developers' Quarterly seminar in Norfolk.
He will represent the state at the Southern Industrial Development Council's meeting in New Orleans this weekend.
"That's a great honor for not only Jack, but for our whole area and our economic development commission," said Henry Jablonski, a member of the development commission and the county Board of Supervisors.
Jablonski said Lewis, who's been chairman since 1990, has been instrumental in improving relations between the economic development commission and the supervisors.
He spearheaded an effort to get a $20,775 rural economic development grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development last year and persuaded the supervisors to provide $6,925 in matching funds.
He then successfully campaigned for the board to buy 155 acres of land off Interstate 81 near Falling Branch Elementary School and build an industrial park.
Montgomery County's failed attempt to attract Seicor Corp., a $56 million fiber optic cable company, was partly attributed to the lack of publicly owned and developed industrial land.
Lu Merritt, treasurer of the economic development commission, said Lewis goes beyond the call of duty to help economic development.
"There couldn't have been a better winner," he said. "He inspires leadership and he gets things done."
Lewis, dean of management service at New River Community College, was nominated for the award by Michael Hensley, director of Virginia Tech's Economic Assistance Center.
Regional winners also recognized Thursday were: Eugene P. Trani, Richmond; Welton Shelton, South Boston; and Michael Barrett, Virginia Beach.
In his nomination letter, Hensley praised Lewis for his work in writing and developing Visions of the Future, a strategic plan outlining the economic future of Montgomery County. The plan is divided into five sections: research, industry attraction, industry retention, product development and recertification.
"The strategic plan prescribes a balanced economic development program which equates job creation and economic opportunity with major quality of life concerns that are omnipresent in this community," the nomination said.
by CNB