Business & Tech

Economic Development Authority: Fairfax County Added 1,400 New Jobs Last Quarter

Sixty area businesses - some new, some existing that expanded - helped add 1,400 new jobs to the area in the second quarter of 2013, according to the county.

by Jennifer van der Kleut

Fairfax County's Economic Development Authority (EDA) announced last week that, in the second quarter of 2013, it aided 60 businesses in adding 1,400 new jobs to the area.

According to an EDA news release, most of the 60 businesses it provided support and resources to are in the information technology and professional services sectors, and seven are foreign-based firms using a Fairfax County location to expand in North America.


“It is most impressive for so many companies in Fairfax County to be hiring at this time,” said Gerald L. Gordon, Ph.D., president and CEO of the EDA. “In the midst of federal budget issues and a generally slow economy, such growth speaks to the continuing diversification of the county’s economy and its core vitality.”

The companies that added the 1,400 new jobs are spread out all over the Fairfax County geographical region.

The largest coup in new jobs came from the addition of the new Amazon Web Services headquarters in the Town of Herndon, which is looking to hire 500 new employees for its cloud-computing division.

Read: Amazon Web Services Celebrates Grand Opening of New Herndon Headquarters

A few of the other notable additions include:

  • Ampcus, a minority- and woman-owned professional services and IT firm in Chantilly, adding 96 jobs;
  • Navigant Consulting, a business consulting services company in Tysons Corner, adding 50 jobs; and,
  • Headstrong, an IT, research and risk management service provider whose parent company, Genpact, is based in India, adding 12 jobs in Reston.

EDA representatives pointed out that Time magazine recently called Fairfax County "one of the great economic success stories of our time," and that business growth and innovation helps Fairfax County fund its top-rated school system, Fairfax County Public Schools, and other public services that contribute to the quality of life of residents. 

"Fairfax County offers businesses a state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure, access to global markets through Washington Dulles International Airport, a vibrant investment capital community and a highly skilled, well-educated workforce," the news release said.

The EDA works to promote Fairfax County as a business and technology hub. The EDA offers site location and business development assistance, and connections with county and state government agencies, to help companies locate and expand in Fairfax County.

In addition to its headquarters in Tysons Corner, the EDA maintains marketing offices in Bangalore, Boston, Munich, London, Los Angeles, Seoul and Tel Aviv.

In the Alexandria and Springfield areas, the following companies added new jobs in the second quarter of 2013, with the help of the EDA:
For the full list of all new and expanding companies that added a portion of the 1,400 jobs last quarter, click here to visit the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority's website.

What do you think of the EDA helping to bring 1,400 new jobs to the area last quarter? Is there anything else you think needs to be done to help the Fairfax County economy? 
Tell us in the comments below.


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