ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 2, 1997 TAG: 9703030012
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
Moving consultant honored
BLACKSBURG - Jeff Cohen, a certified moving consultant, has been recognized by North American Van Lines for the number of international moves he arranged during 1996.
This is the third time in seven years that Cohen, who works for Clinton's Transfer and Storage in Blacksburg, has won the company's Ambassador's Club award. The award, said Cohen, is only given to about 25 moving consultants in the country and has carried prizes such as a tropical cruise and free merchandise.
He says he enjoys helping people and businesses move abroad, because of the close personal relationships he makes with customers. Cohen handles all details of the move, from arranging shipping schedules to dealing with customs agents. It takes a lot of trust to let someone take charge of all your belongings for a few months, he said.
In part because of Virginia Tech, he said, this area has a fairly large international population, which means good business opportunities for him. He said that establishing a reputation as a good mover in the local international community has helped him achieve his high sales figures.
VTLS goes virtual
BLACKSBURG - VTLS Inc., one of the most successful high-tech companies to spin off from Virginia Tech, has been selected to provide library services for the world's first fully virtual university. The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya in Spain exists only on the Internet, where students access information on business, humanities, law and pedagogical psychology.
The virtual library for the university was developed with VTLS software.
The Blacksburg-based library automation company also has had other major domestic and international sales.
It is helping provide 175 computer work stations in public libraries and schools throughout the state.
The work stations, in at least one school in each county, will guarantee that residents will have access to the Internet, e-mail and electronic data bases. VTLS has begun training staff and library patrons, and produced a 45-minute training video.
VTLS also recently has sold library systems to libraries in Poland, Brunei and Malaysia.
Chamber to hold membership meeting
BLACKSBURG - The Blacksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce's annual membership meeting is March 18, with a social at 6:30 p.m. and a dinner at 7:30 p.m.
The event will be at Custom Catering on North Main Street.
The guest speaker will be Bob Alexander of the Zig Ziglar Corporation.
The cost is $25 per person. Reservations are due by March 10. Call 552-4503.
Governmental operations conference
ROANOKE - Radford University's Center for Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting is co-sponsoring a conference on government innovations, technology and management issues at the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center March 9-11.
Also co-sponsoring the event is the Virginia Government Finance Officers' Association.
The cost is $200, including food, refreshments and instruction materials. For information, call Shelley Carmichael at (804) 693-1386.
Construction cost seminar planned
ROANOKE - Virginia Tech is sponsoring a workshop on construction cost estimating at the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center March 14-15.
Speaking will be Yvan J. Beliveau, Anne Snyder-Falkinham professor of building construction at the university and head of its building construction department.
The workshop will deal with a variety of topics, ranging from types of contracts to safety and cost. The fee is $295 per person, including lunches and refreshments.
For information, call 231-5182.
Jordan named sales manager at Force
CHRISTIANSBURG - Michael Jordan is the new manager of sales and market development for Force Inc.'s engineered products group.
Jordan was vice president for sales and marketing for the Rochester Corp., where he gained experience in marketing and selling high-tech products commercially and to the U.S. government. Jordan also has worked for Hekiman Laboratories, and ITT's electro-optical products division.
Force is maker of a variety of fiber optic and electronic components and equipment that has seen increasing sales in recent months.
Quality control program March 18
BLACKSBURG - The Radford/Roanoke section of the American Society for Quality Control will meet March 18 at the Blacksburg Red Lion Inn with a social at 6 p.m. and dinner and the program at 7:30 p.m.
Speaking will be Stephen Hacker, director of the Performance Center at Virginia Tech, who will talk on "The Transformation of Organizations in America."
For reservations, call Dale Fitzgerald at 375-0528 by March 14.
LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Cohen, Jordanby CNB