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2023 SESSION

23103846D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 618
Offered February 6, 2023
Commending the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance.
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Patrons-- Walker and Byron; Senators: Newman and Peake
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WHEREAS, the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, a regional economic development organization and chamber of commerce serving Lynchburg and the Counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, and Campbell, celebrates its 140th anniversary in 2023; and

WHEREAS, the origins of the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance (LRBA) date to 1883, when 50 local business leaders joined together on Main Street in Lynchburg to organize the area’s first chamber of commerce, the Greater Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce; and

WHEREAS, reorganized in 1909 as the Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce, the LRBA would become known as the Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce after 2000 and ultimately assume its current name when the organization merged with the Region 2000 Business and Economic Alliance in 2016; and

WHEREAS, from 50 members to more than 780 today, the LRBA is the largest and oldest business association in Central Virginia and a leading organization for promoting business in the Lynchburg region, figuring prominently in the area’s history and success over the past century; and

WHEREAS, the Greater Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce that preceded the LRBA was a founding member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that was established by President William Howard Taft in 1912 and also supported the creation of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce; and

WHEREAS, various developments and initiatives that have transformed Lynchburg over the years may be attributed to the work of the LRBA, including the United Way of Central Virginia, the Eagle Eyrie Baptist Conference Center, and the baseball club now known as the Lynchburg Hillcats; and

WHEREAS, after occupying several different offices over the years, the LRBA recently established its headquarters at 300 Lucado Place in Lynchburg, offering a commanding view of downtown as well as a central location to serve the organization’s members; and

WHEREAS, the LRBA has been continuously accredited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce since 1973, earning national recognition for its more than 20 years of accreditation, and has maintained a Five-Star Rating since 2006; and

WHEREAS, today, LRBA members employ nearly half of all working individuals in Lynchburg and the surrounding counties, touching a wide array of industries and services that are vital to the region’s prosperity; and

WHEREAS, the LRBA’s five longest continuous members include Virginia Eagle Distributing Company, Schewels Home, Campbell Insurance, John Stewart Walker, Inc., and Aylor’s Farm & Garden, a representation of the variety of businesses and industries the organization serves; and

WHEREAS, over the past 140 years, the LRBA has remained dedicated to supporting its members and to cultivating a region where both businesses and individuals can thrive; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance on the occasion of its 140th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for its history of contributions to the Commonwealth.