Report development was guided by a Steering Committee that contributed many hours of hard work, and a large debt of gratitude is due them. They are: Robert Asbury, Brecc Avellar, Peter Balsamo, Edwin Barnes, Harold "Chip" Batton, Jack Beason, Joe Davis, Linda DiYorio, Don Evans, LTC B.W. Forrester, Jerry Fouse, Shirley Gerkin, Gerald Griswold, Helen Harvey, Peter Huber, Larry Linkous, Patrick Liverpool, Joe Meredith, Donald A. Moore, Franklyn Moreno, Hiawatha Nicely, Con Sauls, Tom Starnes, Jim Stewart, Robert Stuart, Janet Tuckwiller, Larry "Jay" Williams, Jerry White, and Charles Wood.
In addition, a wide range of contractors and consultants contributed their efforts to data collection, analysis, and report writing. The consultants include Anderson and Associates, Inc., Architectural Alternatives, Inc., Draper Aden, Inc., Innovative Marketing Solutions, Virginia Tech's Economic Development Assistance Center, Dr. Tom Johnson, the Virginia Center for Housing Research, and the Virginia Tech Center for Survey Research. Other organization which contributed data and volunteer time deserving special mention are Community Vision 2020 members, HOSTS, the Human Services Needs Assessment Steering Committee, the Montgomery County Department of Economic Adjustment, Neighbor-for-Neighbor in Floyd, the New River Valley Economic Development Alliance, the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Worker's Union, Pulaski Encouraging Progress, and the Virginia Employment Commission. We appreciate their efforts in developing Vision2020.
The Virginia Tech Media Department opened their files to us; photographs seen in the document as well as this web document, were taken by Terry Hawthorne, Charles Shoffer, and Bob Veltri.
Working group participants devoted many days and nights to specific issues. Community meeting participants logged many hours to ensure that Vision 2020 represents a broad community perspective.
The U.S. Department of Defense's Office of Economic Adjustment and the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development provided the funding to undertake this project. For their belief and support, we thank them.
A special thanks to the U.S. Army and Alliant Techsystems, Inc. staff (formerly Hercules, Inc.) at RAAP. Their supportive participation in this project and their open door policy for us at the plant was key to the success of this effort.
The dedication and hard work of all these individual and groups, as well as those too numerous to list, have helped create Vision 2020. Their cumulative efforts ensure that Vision 2020 is a roadmap for a prosperous 21st Century in the New River Valley.
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