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Blog | 4 min read
March 2, 2022
Depending on where youโre coming from, you may have different ideas on whether Richmond, Virginia, is considered the South. But if youโre looking for a personal touch with a sprinkle of southern hospitality, Richmond is the perfect addition to your short list.
Greater Richmond, located in the northernmost Right to Work state on the East Coast, attracts many companies for business relocation in part thanks to its mid-Atlantic location. While the region draws companies for several reasons, itโs often the southern hospitality that attracts employees.
We grabbed CEO Jennifer Wakefield in between meetings to get her insights on what makes Greater Richmond so hospitable โ from business development short-list nurturing, to moving an HQ and finding a new home in the region.
Greater Richmond may be located in the mid-Atlantic area along the East Coast, but weโre proud of the regionโs southern grit. Weโre also proud of GRPโs nimble team because it allows us to embody the southern hospitality this part of the U.S. is known for.
โWe want to make people feel as warm and welcomed as possible,โ Wakefield said. โThe GRP team is smaller than most organizations, which allows for a more personable experience. Our job is to help people realize that theyโre looking at their next home, not just a business location.โ
When a company representative visits Greater Richmond, the GRP team makes them feel welcome and schedules a detailed itinerary based on their needs and the resources available to ongoing operations. GRP values the time that the company spends in-market and wants to make sure that their visit to Greater Richmond is beneficial to their site selection process.
But donโt just take our word for it. CoStar, BGB Technology, Inc. and Mavalรฉrio have demonstrated โWhy Richmondโ better than we ever could.
Ask any Richmonder how long it takes to get somewhere in the region, and chances are, the answer is going to be thanks to the highway infrastructure in and around Greater Richmond. In fact, Richmond is one of the lesser congested cities in the nation according to the Texas Transportation Institute. This adds to the appeal โ not only for getting a workforce to your door โ but also provides your current team access to all the region has to offer.
Greater Richmond is also situated perfectly within the commonwealth: a two-hour drive from Washington, D.C., the Blue Ridge Mountains and Atlantic beaches. Itโs inland enough to miss most major hurricanes and storm systems that may threaten coastal communities, with very little excitement over the years from other natural and geologic disturbances. All this equals a natural business-contingency plan.
โItโs a low-risk region when youโre considering some of the natural elements that may interfere with business operations,โ Wakefield added.
While some neighboring states may dangle a variety of incentives or a different mix of union and workforce policies, the region has a lot to offer that may be more appealing to an organization with ESG front of mind.
โGreater Richmond is a good environment for companies who are very focused on the environment, diversity, sustainability and inclusivity,โ Wakefield said. โWeโre home to Dominion, CoStar and many others that have looked to Richmond as a place to meet those ESG goals.โ
The region is also home to Virginiaโs Capitol, making it a central location to conduct and advocate for business in Virginia.
In the spirit of southern hospitality weโre here to lend a hand and welcome you to Greater Richmond. Contact one of our team members to let us know how we can help.