Virginia Chamber of Commerce Recognizes Del. Rich Anderson

RICHMOND – The Richmond-based Virginia Chamber of Commerce has announced that Del. Richard L. Anderson (R-Prince William) has received a grade of “A” for his strong support of Virginia’s business community during the 2013 legislative session of the Virginia General Assembly.  The annual session was held at the Virginia State Capitol from January 9^th to February 23^rd. 

Anderson will be recognized on May 8^th by the Virginia Chamber at its annual “Chamber Board of Directors’ Reception and Legislative Awards Dinner” in Tysons Corner.

Each year, the Virginia Chamber of Commerce develops a legislative report card based on goals set by Virginia’s business community to increase job opportunities, lower the state’s unemployment rate, and invigorate economic development.  In a recent press release from its Richmond headquarters, Virginia Chamber President and CEO Barry E. DuVal said that the award recognizes Anderson for his “support on initiatives that will help move Virginia forward.”  DuVal further praised Anderson by stating that “your voting record [in the 2013 legislative session] indicated strong support for the business community’s priorities.” 

This is the second year that the Virginia Chamber of Commerce has evaluated and awarded grades to pro-business state legislators.  Anderson’s grade of “A” is the second such award he has received from Virginia’s business community and follows similar scores awarded in previous years by the Prince William Chamber of Commerce to him and other Prince William legislators. 

Over the last four years as a member of the General Assembly, Anderson has supported legislation that creates private-sector jobs, strengthens the Commonwealth’s economy, and helps to maintain Virginia’s traditional low-unemployment rates and national reputation as one of the best states in the nation to do business.  In addition to his activities that support the business community in Prince William County and across Virginia, Anderson is also a founding member of the House Business Development Caucus that seeks to maintain Virginia’s strong standing in the business community. 

A strong supporter of the value of telecommuting and telework to the business community and economy, Anderson served locally as a member of the Telework Task Force of the Prince William Chamber of Commerce. In this capacity, he worked with local Chamber officials in late 2012 to host the first-ever Northern Virginia Telework Summit. The event brought together local business leaders, telework proponents, other state legislators, and Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade James S. Cheng to discuss and demonstrate the value of telework to Virginia’s business community. True to its mission, the NOVA Telework Summit was held entirely over the Internet, with local and statewide participants joining the discussion remotely from various locations around Virginia.

In receiving word of the Virginia Chamber’s recognition for his support of Virginia’s business community, Anderson stated that “as chief of the Asia-Pacific International Affairs Division in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force in the mid-2000s, I worked with allied and friendly air forces
throughout Asia to build durable relationships that would serve the mutual interests of the United States and other nations.  This required me to work closely with the U.S. business and aerospace communities, which taught me about the crucial role that business plays in a vibrant economy.” Anderson further stated that “I sincerely value my work with the business community here in Prince William County and across Virginia, and I look forward to continuing our partnership for many years to come.”   

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Del. Rich Anderson represents Prince William County’s 51^st House District in the Virginia General Assembly and sits on four standing House committees:  Finance, Transportation, General Laws, and Science and Technology. He also serves as Deputy House Majority Whip, chairs the General
Assembly Military and Veteran Caucus, and chairs the Virginia Commission on Civics Education.