Business Climate As the home of Thomas Jefferson and his University of Virginia, the Greater Charlottesville Region has a long history of innovation. The tradition continues with the presence of a base of technology oriented businesses, small manufacturers, companies emerging from the research being conducted at the University, organizations and new programs that support business development, and a general entrepreneurial spirit driven by the creative people who come to the area for its recognized quality of life. Some examples include: • Larger firms such as GE Fanuc, Sperry Marine and Biotage AB that apply technology to produce products that are used by their customers to effectively address a variety of needs. • Smaller manufacturing and service companies that have located in the area, many in the surrounding counties, to take advantage of the quality workforce that exists in central Virginia and the convenient proximity to east coast markets. • A growing number of small and start up businesses in information technology, biotechnology and software development that are making Charlottesville and the surrounding area a place where knowledge is an important driver of the economy. • The planning and development of several research parks by the University and a number of business/industrial parks by many of the jurisdictions that have provided opportunities for new and expanding companies to find suitable locations for their operations. • Organizations such as the Thomas Jefferson Partnership for Economic Development (TJPED), the Virginia Piedmont Technology Council (VPTC), the Charlottesville Venture Group-Entrenet (CVG-Entrenet), the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Center for Innovative Technology (CIT), and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) that assist and promote the creation, growth and location of new businesses. • Workforce training programs that are available through the region's community colleges, Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) and Germanna Community College (GCC), as well as the Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC) to assist both existing and new employers. For a list of the area's major businesses, click here.