Stuart Mease On Supporting Local Business in the Roanoke and New River Valleys

Rackspace, and it's webmail division of Mailtrust - which, coincidentally is Blacksburg-grown - IPO'd in August 2008, yet very little was written about it in the local paper.  Stuart's contention is that success stories like Mailtrust, and so many others located throughout our region, need the support and publicity that all of us can provide.

This is important to real estate for a couple of reasons.  First, Stuart mentioned the term "creative-class" jobs when he referred to Mailtrust's initiative to bring 100+ new jobs to the Blacksburg community within the next 18 months.  I'd not heard the term "creative-class jobs" before, but I like it ... creative class jobs are in demand in what has rapidly become a global economy, and the workforce created by these jobs encourages not only new businesses creation in the region, but also the relocation of existing businesses - and therefore their jobs as well - into the region.  These are not positions that are outsourced; they are jobs that are created, maintained and promoted within the region, and Mailtrust is but one example of this local talent.

Thanks to Handshake 2.0 for sharing the video.

Comments

[Anne Clelland]

Thank you for featuring--and adding your own thoughtful commentary to--Connecting People in the RNR.

I think Mease is referring to Richard Florida's conception of the creative class. He wrote this and has a new book out on the same topic:
http://www.amazon.com/Rise-Creative-Class-Transforming-Community/dp/0465024777/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224634768&sr=1-1

I love your phrase "local talent."

You are an example of it.

[Sara]

Jeremy -

Creative Class is a term that Richard Florida coined years ago. You should check out his book "The Rise of the Creative Class". I have it if you want to borrow it. It is fabulous. It gives how-to's for cities to grow their populations of younger, more cultured, with advanced degrees to supply the workforce and housing, i.e. downtown living. Downtown Roanoke, Inc. contracted Richard Florida years ago and brought him into Roanoke to give them a plan.

[Jeremy Hart]

Thanks, Anne, for the kind words. A reader offered to let me read the book, I'm looking forward to digging into it!

[Old Friend]

Stuey Mease is an old putz and so what. He can read.

[Jeremy Hart]

Looks like Stuart's got some fans out there. Regardless, few have done as much for the RNR and young professionals than Stuart ... looking forward to seeing what he comes up with next.