Harrisonburg Company Selected to Participate in Virginia’s VALET Program

RICHMOND - The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) today announced the acceptance of a Harrisonburg company, Tactical & Survival Specialties, Inc. (TSSI), into its two-year Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program. Launched in January 2002, the program assists exporters in the Commonwealth that have firmly established domestic operations and are committed to international exporting as an expansion strategy.

Tactical & Survival Specialties, Inc. joins the program as part of the 12th class of VALET companies. To participate, each eligible business must meet several quantitative criteria and complete an application process. Participating firms are chosen based on their dedication to growth through export. Currently, more than 90 Virginia companies have been accepted to participate in the VALET program.

Tactical & Survival Specialties is a service disabled, veteran-owned small business, which began supporting the United States Military, Special Operations community more than 25 years ago. TSSI expanded its customer focus to include logistical support for conventional military, law enforcement, and disaster professionals in the U.S. and in more than 25 allied nations. TSSI offers a full line of tactical and operational support equipment, product training, as well as one of the most comprehensive tactical equipment catalogs in the industry. The company’s long-standing reputation as a one-stop supplier of commercial off-the-shelf and custom-built equipment has put TSSI in the forefront. Additional developmental and service capabilities such as total palletization and pre-positioning are achieved through a 45,000-square-foot logistic support facility, co-located within its corporate headquarters in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

TSSI is a recent graduate of VEDP’s Accessing International Markets (AIM) export development program. The AIM program, launched by VEDP in December 2005, introduces companies across Virginia to new global business opportunities.

“The assistance Tactical & Survival Specialties, Inc. experienced during the VEDP AIM program was invaluable in reaching our target country of Poland,” said Bill Strang, Founder and President. “We are looking forward to continuing the momentum of our international sales with our participation in the VALET program.”

The VALET program incorporates services from a team of experienced international service providers who assist the VALET companies with their international goals. Service providers such as attorneys, Web designers, bankers, translators and freight-forwarders contribute essential skills for expansion into international markets.

“VALET welcomes Tactical & Survival Specialties into the program,” said Leslie Parpart, VALET Program Manager. “We look forward to working with its international team over the course of the next two years to assist the company in exceeding export goals.”

The VALET program was recognized as a national model in November 2004 by the National Council for Public-Private Partnerships (NCPPP) for VALET’s innovation in bringing the public and private sectors together to achieve a benefit for the public. The VALET program was the only winner of the 2004 NCPPP Public-Private Partnership Award in the Innovation category.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, a marketing organization, was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1995 to encourage, stimulate, and support the development and expansion of the economy of the Commonwealth. The Partnership is a state authority, which is governed by a 21-member Board of Directors appointed by the Governor and the Virginia General Assembly. To accomplish its objectives of promoting economic expansion within the Commonwealth, the Partnership focuses its efforts on business recruitment, expansion and international trade. VEDP has offices in Virginia, Belgium, Hong Kong, Mexico, Brazil, Korea and Japan.

To learn more about the VALET program, contact Leslie Parpart, VALET Program Manager, at LParpart [at] YesVirginia.org or visit the programs tab at www.ExportVirginia.org.