Economic Development Spotlight: Victoria Hanson

Name: Victoria Hanson            

Title: Executive Director    

Organization: Economic Development Authority of Amherst County

How long in the field? 6 years

How did you get into the economic development profession? My family moved back to the U.S. from Germany and fortunately the opportunity to work in economic development opened up. It was a good fit for my varied experience and allowed me to work for the betterment of the community I lived in.

What is one thing about your community that makes it unique? Amherst County is multi-faceted and what makes us unique is the combination of natural beauty, a loyal and hard-working workforce, and also the Monacan Nation.
 

If money wasn’t a barrier and you could fill a current resource gap at your community what would you do? Create a state-of-the-art workforce training center for in-demand occupations with experienced instructors and scholarships for students. Create shovel ready building sites and build spec industrial buildings for our expanding local businesses and new businesses.

As you look to the future, what do you feel will be the most important thing for communities and economic developers to focus on? We need to help young people discover and connect with the job opportunities employers need. Make your community a place people and businesses want to be in, as most businesses are locally grown so pride and the desire to stay in your home community is vital.