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Business liaison commission highlights awards, outreach and support for local firms
Summary
Town Business Liaison Commission chair Jen Morrow briefed the council on 2024 programs — business recognition awards, ribbon cuttings, site visits, training during Economic Development Week and policy feedback on parking, lighting and the comp plan — and urged deeper, geographically targeted outreach to businesses in Vienna.
Jen Morrow, chair of the Town Business Liaison Commission, told the Vienna Town Council during its Jan. 13 work session that the committee spent 2024 on business recognition, community engagement and marketing outreach.
"We participate in the mayor's award ceremony with the Carol Wolfen award," Morrow said, describing programs that honor businesses and their employees, including a Bob Leggett outstanding service award and Thrive awards for long‑running firms. She said the committee also sent handwritten postcards to every new business and organized site visits and ribbon cuttings to keep lines of communication open between the town and owners.
Morrow reviewed training the commission hosted during Economic Development Week — covering marketing, human resources and finance — and urged more in‑person follow‑up with new firms. She said the commission had provided formal feedback on the parking study, an outdoor lighting policy, Code Create Vienna, the comprehensive plan and the Parks and Recreation master plan.
Mayor and council members praised the commission’s volunteer work. "When we look at the commercial vacancy rates in Vienna and see we're at 4% or 5% compared with county and national averages, that close coordination between the town and the businesses makes all the difference," Councilmember Chuck said.
Councilmember Ray suggested that council members accompany commission volunteers on visits to new businesses to provide additional face‑to‑face support. Morrow welcomed the idea and said the commission would coordinate with Economic Development and the town’s new leader, Nicole, to align resources and consider mentoring programs and existing external resources such as the George Mason Small Business Development Center.
The commission said it plans to deepen engagement with business owners across districts (East Maple, West Maple, Church Street District) and with industrial partners to capture the full diversity of business needs.
