Staunton & Augusta to Host Economic Forum TOMORROW

There is a lot of buzz in the air about an impending recession. The indication from media reports is that we are headed for an economic crisis. Is this true and how does it affect our local economy?

The Staunton and Augusta County Republican Committees are addressing this pressing issue with a topical forum for voters in the Valley: What is the State of the Economy and How Does it Affect You?

The Forum will be held on Tuesday, July 22 at the Augusta County Government Center at 7pm.

Guest Speakers include:

John Meade, First Bank and Trust

John Meade is the Senior Vice President with First Bank & Trust Co. where he is the executive responsible for the Bank’s Shenandoah Valley area. First Bank & Trust Company is a diversified financial services firm with 18 office locations in Virginia and Tennessee. The Bank has carved out a regional market niche by catering to small businesses and consumers who wish to take advantage of a local bank that offers all of the services that are expected from a larger organization.

John Meade is also a member of the Staunton Rotary and is on the Board of Directors of Stonewall Jackson Area Council – Boy Scouts of America ( Shenandoah Valley ) and the Augusta County Farm Bureau.

Chris Saxman, Shenandoah Valley Water Company; Delegate, 20th House District

Chris Saxman is the General Manager of the Shenandoah Valley Water Company which was founded in 1975 as a beverage distribution company. Chris Saxman serves as Chair of the International Bottled Water Association and is the Past President of the South Atlantic Bottled Water Association.

In addition to his work and family commitments, Chris Saxman serves the voters of the 20th House District in the General Assembly.

Scott Sayre, Sayre Enterprises Inc.; Americans for Prosperity

Scott Sayre is the founder of Sayre Enterprises, Inc. Sayre Enterprises has been providing products and services worldwide since 1987. Today the company manufactures, embellishes and distributes a wide range of goods including, but not limited to: promotional products, collegiate items, safety reflective items, uniform accessories and outdoor gear. Sayre Enterprises employs over 100 people and is the largest employer of adults with disabilities in Rockbridge County.

Sayre also serves on the board of Directors of the Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce. Sayre is the Valley Chair of Americans for Prosperity (AFP). Americans for Prosperity is committed to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing those citizens as advocates in the public policy process. AFP is an organization of grassroots leaders who engage citizens in the name of limited government and free markets on the local, state and federal levels.

Matt Fitzgerald, Urban Design Associates

Matt Fitzgerald is the Director of the Highlands Studio in Charlottesville; a satellite studio of Urban Design Associates (UDA) located in Pittsburgh, PA. UDA is a firm who designs cities, towns, and neighborhoods in the United States and abroad. Their goal is to create beautiful places with lasting value for the communities they serve. Design is the creative focus of their process—a participatory process in which they bring together citizens, economists, engineers, architects, developers, policy makers, government officials, and builders to construct humane and appropriate visions for the future.