GTE Contributes $250,000 to Virginia Economic Development Partnership

Gift to Strengthen State's Economic Development Marketing Efforts

Richmond - Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore today announced that GTE Corporation will contribute $250,000 to the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the state authority charged with business recruitment and expansion. The donation will be used to purchase and install a visual imaging system, three-dimensional modeling software and database profiling technology at the Partnership's main office in Richmond. The new equipment will serve a major communications function as part of the Partnership's new Prospect Decision Support System, a formal presentation and resource center complete with multimedia technology. The funds represent the Partnership's second major private sector contribution since it was created in 1995. The first monetary gift was given by GTE in November 1997 for a video teleconferencing system.

"GTE is one of our Commonwealth's outstanding corporate citizens," said Governor Gilmore. "This cooperation between GTE and the Partnership is the kind of teamwork that will help Virginia continue to successfully attract more jobs, opportunity and prosperity to our Commonwealth. As Virginia emerges as the 'Information Technology State,' this new state-of-the-art system will place us on the cutting edge of attracting industry."

The additional technology will allow Partnership staff to show corporate prospects three-dimensional sites and buildings, acquire the latest data and manipulate visual imagery. The Partnership expects the entire Prospect Decision Support System to begin contributing to Virginia's marketing efforts in mid-1998.

Jim Diaz, president for GTE's wireline operations in Virginia, commended Governor Jim Gilmore, Secretary of Commerce and Trade Barry DuVal and Wayne Sterling, executive director of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, for their ongoing efforts to attract economic growth and development for Virginia. "GTE is an international technology leader, and understands the importance of technology in helping the state's economic development team succeed. This investment will move VEDP's efforts from the on ramp to the fast lane of today's information superhighway. It will produce extraordinary benefits for the Commonwealth and its citizens for years and years to come."

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership was created by the General Assembly in 1995 to foster stable and continuous economic growth in Virginia.

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