Posted: January 6, 2012

E. Dana Dickens III

President and CEO, Hampton Roads Partnership

My one wish for 2012 is that the many years of work in regional cooperation and collaboration by the Hampton Roads Partnership translate into true regional consensus, with significant results in growth and in greater diversification of the economy of Hampton Roads.

We can accomplish this if:

* Entrepreneurs have better access to capital, supported via a multimillion dollar fund organized by investors to promote "grow your own" economic development in the region.

* Taxpayers enjoy enhanced government services and lower taxes, supported via implementation of shared public services identified during the pilot program launched in 2011 with Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Chesapeake.

* Local government implements improved efficiencies and savings, supported via more Hampton Roads cities - and counties - joining in shared services projects across the region.

* Startup businesses achieve explosive growth thanks to mentors, supported via coaching provided by the region's proven business leaders, both retired and active.

* Growth-oriented companies realize their entrepreneurial goals, supported via a cultural shift enabled by Innovate!HamptonRoads and its "Economic Gardening Network," a suite of high-end, high-speed business growth resources.

* Serious networking and marketing happens for entrepreneurs, supported via successful events like Start Norfolk, active local entrepreneurs, metropolitan-focused academic institutions and the groups championing the region's technology clusters of aerospace, bioscience, coastal energy, modeling and simulation, robotics and unmanned systems and sensors.

* Education in STEM/STEAM moves forward rapidly, supported via the various regional efforts such as a full-time boarding school, a governor's school and curricular/extracurricular activities for public schools tied to Virginia's standards of learning. [STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and math.]