DATE: Monday, July 21, 1997                 TAG: 9707180033

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B6   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Editorial 

                                            LENGTH:   36 lines

SKUNDA DEPARTS A JOB WELL-DONE

The Allen administration's long goodbye has begun.

The governor won't leave office until January, but in keeping with Virginia tradition many key officials won't be around to help turn out the lights. The exodus of the top brass is already under way.

The latest farewell comes from Secretary of Commerce and Trade Robert T. Skunda, who will leave the administration Nov. 1 to assume the helm of the Virginia Biotechnology Research Park in downtown Richmond. Skunda's announcement merits comment on two counts:

First, the secretary deserves praise for a job well-done. And, second, his continuing commitment to economic development in the commonwealth bodes well for the capital city and for the state.

A former president of both the Fairfax and Virginia Chambers of Commerce, Skunda has been chief strategist, promoter and cheerleader for Allen's signature notion that ``Virginia Is Open for Business.''

While economic growth always has multiple causes (prime among them, the state of the national economy), Skunda's aggressive leadership helped net more than 200,000 new jobs for the state. And his team has been particularly successful in luring blue-chip firms that could have an even more dramatic impact in the years ahead.

The fact that Skunda is now turning his attention to the fledgling biotechnology project should help Virginia secure a beachhead in this emerging field as well. The park was recently cited by World Trade Magazine as one of 10 up-and-coming research and development parks nationwide.

There is still much to do to turn dreams into reality, but Bob Skunda has a proven record of wizardry at such tasks. Virginians can be grateful that as he's saying goodbye to one state assignment, he's saying hello to another.

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