Organization
Mount Rogers Regional Partnership (MRRP) represents a region of five counties and one city. Branding the region as ‘Virginia’s I81-I77 Crossroads,’ an area stretching from Carroll County to Smyth County along Interstates 81 and 77, the organization membership consists of Smyth, Wythe, Grayson, Carroll and Bland counties, and the City of Galax.
MRRP was formed as a non-profit multi-jurisdictional regional economic development organization (REDO) to conduct outreach marketing, prospect development, project management and work with its six localities to support and enhance their economic development efforts. It is one of eighteen REDOs in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
MRRP is financed by its member localities based on population, as well as voluntary private sector funding. The organization is served by a board of directors with representatives from local governments, private sector, and community colleges.
*Note: Cities in Virginia are independent cities, which have their own governing bodies and are administratively independent of any county. Of 42 independent cities in the United States, 39 are in Virginia.
Mission
MRRP supports the creation of job opportunities, a broadened tax base and an improved standard of living for the residents of Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Smyth and Wythe counties and the city of Galax by attracting and encouraging national and international businesses to locate and invest in the region, as well as by assisting existing companies to create or retain jobs.
Strategic Roadmap (PDF)
Annual Report
Board & Officers
* Member, Executive Committee
Executive Director
Nichole Hair
Executive Director
Mount Rogers Regional Partnership
1000 E Main Street Grayson Hall Wytheville, VA 24382
(276) 223-4726
nhair@wcc.vccs.eduChairman
*Shawn Utt
County Administrator
Local Government Director
Smyth County
121 Bagley Circle Suite 100 Marion, VA 24354
276-783-3298 x 8301 (office)
sutt@smythcounty.orgVICE CHAIRMAN
*Steve Boyer
County Administrator
Local Government Director
Grayson County
P.O. Box 217 Independence, VA 24348
(276) 773-2471
sboyer@graysoncountyva.govTreasurer
*Stephen Bear
County Administrator
Local Government Director
Wythe County
340 South Sixth Street Wytheville, VA 24382-2598
(276) 223-4500
sdbear@wythecova.comMike Watson
County Administrator
Local Government Director
Carroll County
605-1 Pine Street Hillsville, VA 24343
(276) 728-3331
michael.watson@carrollcountyva.govDavid E. Dillow
Local IDA Director
Bland County
P.O. Box 246 Bland, VA 24315
(276) 228-6021
daviddillow@embarqmail.comDavid Kause
Local IDA Director
JIDA of Wythe County
Blue Ridge Gatorade 316 Gator Lane Wytheville, VA 24382
(276) 625-3943
dkause33@gmail.comLarry Edwards
Local IDA Director
Carroll County
Carroll County Government Center Hillsville, VA 24343
ledwar@comcast.netChris Butler
Local IDA Director
Grayson County
1170 Pilgrim Fork Road Elk Creek, VA 24326
276-768-9269
cbutler@graysoncountyva.govWhitney B. Czelusniak
Director of Economic Development
Appalachian Power
40 Franklin Rd Roanoke, VA 24011
wbczelusniak@aep.comMike Lawless
Executive Vice President/Principal in Charge of Regional Growth of Southwest Virginia
TRC Companies
mlawless@trccompanies.comEx Officio Director
Dr. Dean E.Sprinkle
President – WCC
Educational Representative Director
Wytheville Community College
1000 East Main Street Wytheville, VA 24382
(276) 223-4848(B)
dsprinkle@wcc.vccs.eduEx Officio Director
Dr. Adam C. Hutchison
VHCC President
Educational Representative Director
VA Highlands Community College
P.O. Box 828 Abingdon, VA 24212
(276) 739-2421
cwhite@vhcc.eduEx Officio Director
Aaron Sizemore
Executive Director
PDC Representative
Mount Rogers Planning District Commission
asizemore@mrpdc.orgPartners
Public Sector
Private Sector
