By Prince George Electric Cooperative
RICHMOND, Va — The Virginia Economic Developers Association (VEDA) announced the selection of Prince George County in partnership with Prince George Electric Cooperative winners in one of three different population categories of the 2018 Community Economic Development Awards (CEDA), presented last week at the association’s Spring Conference in Richmond.
Prince George County was nominated and selected in Category Three (population of 15,001 to 40,000) for its efforts to provide residential/commercial broadband service to rural areas while addressing the fundamentals of community development. The County partnered with Prince George Electric Cooperative (PGEC) to provide a long-term solution for bringing high-speed internet to the community. PGEC established a Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) pilot project to test the business model for providing broadband service. While the pilot program has defined boundaries, the County and PGEC have requested a grant to extend the service throughout the County in phases.
The CEDA Committee applauds this community for embracing a fundamental tenet of economic development and rebuilding those efforts from the ground up. Mike Malandro, President and CEO of Prince George Electric Cooperative said, “Co-ops just by their very nature are locally governed and responsive to their members. Embracing new opportunities through innovation for rural communities is top of mind for the PGEC leadership.”
The 2018 CEDA entrants represented all geographic regions of the commonwealth, and the nine applicant communities ranged in population, from urban to rural regions. VEDA is a member-based professional organization committed to providing training and development; networking opportunities; and serving as the voice of the economic development community, creating economic opportunity and prosperity for the Commonwealth of Virginia.