Despite a sputtering national economy, innovative entrepreneurship is alive and well in the Commonwealth of Virginia, where twelve thriving businesses have been named as finalists in the Tayloe Murphy Resilience Awards Competition.

The statewide competition, sponsored by the Tayloe Murphy Center at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, is designed to spotlight successful businesses located in the state’s most economically challenged communities. With this year’s finalists, the Tayloe Murphy Center has done just that.

The ten cities and counties that are home to the twelve finalists present a variety of economic challenges that many business owners would be unable to overcome: high unemployment, high poverty, lack of access to larger markets, unreliable internet access and the public perception of a local lack of sophistication.

But instead of moving their businesses to more accommodating geographies, the Tayloe Murphy Resilience Awards’ finalists are committed to their home communities.

They serve as leadership to business associations, spearhead revitalization initiatives, travel to their clients’ home turf when necessary and have built businesses that support their communities. They capitalize on the things that make their hometowns great places to live and do business – and have overcome the odds.

They have been assisted in these efforts by business incubator programs, favorable lease terms and loans and a local workforce they have readily invested in, trained and employed. And when they’re not working, they enjoy the low cost of living their communities afford them.

“We at the Tayloe Murphy Center are pleased to learn about these incredible companies and their leaders and be able to share their stories with the Commonwealth,” said Gregory B. Fairchild, Executive Director of the Tayloe Murphy Center and Associate Professor of Business Administration at Darden. “Their growth rates are substantial and impressive,” Fairchild added, “with an average annual profit growth rate of 188.77% and employment growth rate of 54.33% from 2005 through 2008.”

In this year’s effort to highlight economically challenged communities and recognize the hard working business leaders who contribute to the economic well being that keeps Virginia strong in tough times, the Tayloe Murphy Center cast a wide net. Over 100 indigenous, entrepreneurial businesses from 45 counties applied for this year’s award. Five winners will be chosen from this year’s roster of finalists to receive the Resilience Award: full scholarship funding to a course at Darden’s Executive Education Program.

Winners will be announced at a celebration dinner to be held in the Dome Room of the University’s historic Rotunda on September 1st.

Tayloe Murphy Resilience Awards Competition Finalists:

Manufacturing/Agricultural

Banker Steel Co., LLC, Lynchburg
Morgan Lumber Company, Inc., Red Oak
Thomas A. Johnson Furniture Company, Inc., Lynchburg

Retail

Office Plus Business Centre (Haynsworth’s Inc.), Danville
ParknPool Corporation, Lexington
Quail Cove Farms, Machipongo

Service

BandyWorks, Petersburg
Joint Logistics Managers, Inc., Prince George
Marstel-Day, Fredericksburg
Thompson & Litton, Inc., Wise

Wholesale

Evergreen Enterprise, Inc., Richmond
Solid Stone Fabrics, Inc., Martinsville

Founded in 1954, the Darden School of Business is a professional school that improves society by developing principled leaders in the world of practical affairs.  For more information, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .