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V IRGINIA QUARTERLY MAGAZINE Leading the Cheer INSIDE Rita McClenny, Legislative Staff—page 9 President and CEO First to Welcome—page 20 Be Our Guest—page 24 of VirginiaTourism page 4 Winter 2013 V IRGINIA Leading the Cheer Q UARTERLY MAGAZINE 4 WINTER 2013 ISSUE Leading the Cheer: Rita McClenny, President and CEO of Virginia Tourism ....... 4 Meet the Capitol Police K-9 Unit ......................... 6 200 Years Let’s Celebrate 200 Years of Virginia Tradition!............. 7 Being a Good Neighbor Can Be Very Rewarding ............. 8 7 Legislative Staff: Assistants, Chiefs of Staff, Policy Directors & Counsel ...... 9 What is an LA? ........................................ 9 Legislative LA Reflections........................................ 18 Staff Kanawha Valley Arena: Dugspur • Virginia ................ 19 VITAL 9 First to Welcome, Last to be Recognized ................. 20 Visions of the Commonwealth: The Photography of Wanda Judd......................... 21 Stuart Blackwell, Kanawha Capitol Square’s “Unsung Hero” for Almost Fifty Years...... 22 Valley Be Our Guest —for This Week in Richmond ................ 24 19 Arts & Culture Essential for Great Communities ........................ 26 Visions of the Commonwealth: The Photography of Wanda Judd......................... 28 In Memoriam ......................................... 29 Last to be Senator Hopkins Recognized John W. Russell: State Senator and City of Fairfax Mayor Tribute To Delegate Joseph William “Billy” O’Brien 20 On The Web www.vccqm.org Volume 19 Number 1 Issue Editor–Brennan Long • Editor–Kristen Bailey-Hardy Feature Writer–Lydia Freeman • Intern–Lauren Fells Publisher–David Bailey • Art Director–John Sours Be Our School Distribution–Kristen Bailey-Hardy Advertising–[email protected] • Printer– Clinch Valley Printing Guest Virginia Capitol Connections Quarterly Magazine (ISSN 1076-4577) is published by: Virginia Capitol Connections • 1001 East Broad Street • Suite 215 24 Richmond, Virginia 23219 • (804) 643-5554 Copyright 2013,Virginia Capitol Connections, Inc. All rights reserved. The views expressed in the articles of Virginia Capitol Connections Quarterly Magazine, a non-partisan publication, are not necessarily those of the editors or publisher. VIRGINIA CAPITOL CONNECTIONS, WINTER 2013 3 Leading the Cheer Rita McClenny, President and CEO of Virginia Tourism “Curiosity is something that can push and excite someone to try The cheer begins: new things,” McClenny said. “I think in Virginia we have so many new things to offer. People can have a diverse and varied experience.” From the mountains in the west to the beaches in the east, L-O-V-E: Virginia is for lovers from historical sites to shopping, from the arts to Busch Gardens, In Virginia, it is already cold. People are huddled together, hands Virginia has a variety of experiences for everyone to try. Beyond that, clutching thermoses of hot chocolate and coffee, as they sit in the McClenny shared the importance of making the state known for its stands watching the football game. Below them, cheerleaders stand in specialties, like Virginia oysters on the east coast. line, leading the crowd in cheers for the team. They smile and tumble, “We want Virginia oysters to be the best oysters on the east dance and fly, gathering support for the team on the field. coast,” McClenny said. “We want Virginia to be known for oysters.” Rita McClenny, the newly appointed President and CEO Creating a reputation sparks curiosity, and curiosity has a drawing of Virginia Tourism, was once one of those girls. At that time, appeal that will cause people to desire the experience. cheerleading taught her how to impart her passion and build support for a team; now this same lesson from cheerleading has allowed her to impart her passion and build support for the state of Virginia. F-I-L-M: Virginia is for film McClenny was born in Southampton County in eastern Virginia. In August of 1987, a classic film was released: “Dirty Dancing.” As a life-long Virginian, she was raised with a dedication and love for The story featured a girl falling in love with the dance instructor of the state, making it easy for her to fall into her new role. a summer resort. For Virginia, the importance of that resort is that it “My love and dedication to Virginia makes this the ideal job,” exists within the state. People today can still visit Mountain Lake and said McClenny. “I love having an opportunity to promote Virginia to relive the setting of the familiar film. the world because Virginia is for lovers.” But for Virginia, the film industry did not stop with dancing. That brand, “Virginia is for Lovers,” has been in existence for 43 Steven Spielberg’s historical film, “Lincoln,” was brought to years. It has become a cheer for the state because, as McClenny said, theaters at the end of 2012, and rather than being filmed in Hollywood, the brand has awareness worldwide. it was filmed in the capital of Virginia: Richmond. “Virginia is for lovers,” said McClenny. “We are using love at the “The Capitol grounds were the back lot of much of the filming,” heart of every Virginia vacation.” McClenny said. When it was decided that “Lincoln” would be filmed in Virginia, McClenny was the director of the film office. C-U-R-I-O-S-I-T-Y: “Recruiting a film is competitive,” she said. “The decision to Virginia is for curiosity film in Virginia was nine years in the making. We had to present it While attending Fisk University, McClenny said that she learned to DreamWorks, Spielberg’s company, and to Kathleen Kennedy. We valuable lessons like perseverance and the importance of learning. had to present to them that Virginia had history and authenticity, as But she also found a zest for life and a desire for new experiences. well as a deep wealth of talent. We had to show them that all those She found what she calls the “appeal of curiosity.” assets were right here in Virginia. We had to show them that Virginia McClenny herself enjoys a variety of activities, such as playing was the perfect location. That was the story we built to convince them polo and tennis, and shooting sporting clays. All her interests and her that Virginia was the place to tell Lincoln’s story.” desire to try new things taught her about this appeal. McClenny said that Virginia is an appealing location for filmmakers. The diverse typography, four centuries of history, and locations that can VIRGINIA CAPITOL CONNECTIONS, WINTER 2013 4 By LYDIA FREEMAN match the time frame of any setting work together for filmmakers to “have it all.” “With Spielberg being such a renowned and highly regarded filmmaker, people will trust his For 20 years, Rita’s passion and dedication decisions,” McClenny said. “They will see the film and say, ‘Wow, this is what you can find in as Director of the Virginia Film Office Virginia.’” brought a such works as John Adams, McClenny also mentioned that “Unanswered Prayers,” a film The New World, Cold Mountain, and based on the Garth Brooks song, was also filmed in Virginia. That “ film, in contrast with “Lincoln,” showed a more contemporary Lincoln to Virginia, adding billions to our version of the state. economy. I know she will bring the same “It opens the door for locations all across the Commonwealth,” McClenny said. tireless energy to the Virginia Tourism And while McClenny couldn’t share names, she did admit to Corporation and its growing industry. some “hot prospects for films in the next few years.” Delegate Jennifer McClellan S-P-O-R-T-S: Virginia is for sports Rita is a champion of the tourism industry. Rumors of drawing a major sports franchise to the state have been circulating. McClenny said the state is interested in the sports With her can-do spirit and proven record entertainment industry. of success in the Film Office, she has “We are involved in many facets of promoting sporting already made great contributions to our opportunities as entertainment in Virginia,” McClenny said. “Professional teams bring that excitement and a real draw for people Commonwealth. It will be no surprise to to come for sporting events and extend their stay awhile in state. me that she will continue to find new “Part of our attractiveness to sporting teams is our location; we have a proximity to dense areas of population, and that is important achievements in her role at VTC. when franchises are looking at any location. They want to be close Delegate Chris Peace to large numbers of people who could become fans. They want easy access through transportation system via highways, trains, air, cars, I have truly enjoyed working with Rita etc. All modes of transportation are important to a national sporting franchise. And it is important for Virginia to have vast transportation McClenny since my first days in the modes of moving people quickly to their desired destination.” legislature when she met with me as the director of the Virginia Film Office. Rita V-I-S-I-O-N: Virginia is for vision helped me understand how Virginia’s Martin Briley, President and CEO of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, has know McClenny for 25 years, and he tourism industry generates over $20 billion believes having her in this position can only benefit the state. in revenue, supports over 207,000 jobs and “Ms. McClenny’s appointment of Virginia tourism is applauded provides $1.32 billion in state and local by all of us in the Virginia Economic Development Partnership,” Briley said. “I’ve known Rita for 25 years and have seen nothing taxes. Rita has dedicated much of her except stellar performance on a weekly basis. She has displayed true professional career to the Commonwealth, leadership and is taking us to next generation in the film industry. I fully expect her to continue that in the tourism division as well.” and I can’t imagine a better suited person McClenny’s vision for Virginia tourism is a guiding force to lead this important initiative for our forward, giving her a goal to work toward.

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