Public invited to May 28 open house for Southwest Virginia Technology Development Center, Russell County Conference Center

Virginia Secretary of Technology Aneesh Chopra will address the public during an open house event for the Southwest Virginia Technology Development Center (SVTDC) and Russell County Conference Center in Lebanon on Wednesday, May 28.

The public is invited to tour the two facilities during the open

house event, part of Technology Week, May 27-30, at SVTDC. Guided tours will be given throughout the day from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Chopra will speak at noon. In addition to Secretary Chopra, Danny Brown, chairman of the Russell County Board of Supervisors, and Chancellor David J. Prior of The University of Virginia’s College at Wise will speak. UVa-Wise hosts SVTDC.

Chopra is currently Virginia’s fourth secretary of technology. He leads the Commonwealth’s strategy to effectively leverage technology in government reform, promotes Virginia’s innovation agenda and fosters technology-related economic

development with a special emphasis on entrepreneurship.

Secretary Chopra was awarded the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society’s 2007 State Leadership Advocacy Award and was recently named to Government Technology’s Top 25 in the magazine’s “Doers, Dreamers and Drivers” issue, which recognizes the 25 individuals they believe help set the standard for using technology to improve government.

Chopra earned a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1997.  He earned his bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1994.

SVTDC provides access to technological education opportunities necessary for the region’s emerging information technology industry, as well as development opportunities for area professionals – two cornerstones of the Center’s mission.

SVTDC’s 32,000 square feet of high-tech meeting space includes video conferencing, wireless high-speed Internet access and spacious rooms. Rooms available include conference rooms, boardrooms, distance education classrooms with video conferencing capabilities, interview/small meeting rooms, a reception area and an executive auditorium.

The Russell County Conference Center is an 8,000 square-foot facility that provides a full-service catering kitchen and conference space to accommodate up to 400 guests for dinner meetings, reunions, weddings, business conferences and meetings of all types. The Conference Center has four retractable dividing walls that can be arranged to accommodate smaller groups and is equipped with tables, chairs, a stage and an audio system. The Russell County Conference Center is managed by the Cumberland Plateau Company.

The open house event is free and open to the public. Hors d’oeuvres will be served.

The Southwest Virginia Technology Development Center and Russell County Conference Center are located at 141 Highland Drive in Lebanon.

For more information, contact SVTDC at 276-889-8181.

Posted May 19, 2008