V IRGINIA Q UARTERLY MAGAZINE MMrr. J’s Capitol I said Mr. J’s Capitol because, after Bruce’s tireless and “seless oversight of the restoration of the Capitol to its original glory, the ‘J’ truly stands for Jamerson Delegate Chris Jones ” Bruce Jamerson INSIDE Clerk of the House of Delegates A Remarkable Legacy—page 6 & Keeper of the Rolls of the Commonwealth A Consummate Professional & Friend to Everyone—page 9 Leading the Way in Economic Development—page 10 —page 11 Reports from the Cabinet Spring 2011 Blue Ridge PBS Ad 2_16_11.pdf 2/19/11 3:02:58 AM Providing compelling public service media for Central and Southwest Virginia This Week in Richmond, hosted by Virginia Capitol veteran David Bailey, features discussions with Virginia elected ocials. Many episodes originate from the Capitol in Richmond, with the rest from the Blue Ridge PBS studio in Roanoke. In addition to WBRA (Roanoke), WMSY (Marion) and WSBN (Norton), This Week In Richmond, will be seen on WVPT (Harrisonburg), WCVE (Richmond), WHTJ (Charlottesville) and WHRO (Norfolk) providing virtually statewide coverage. This Week in Richmond may be seen weekly during the session, January–April, and monthly May–December Programs are available on demand at www.blueridgepbs.org/html/local/richmond_archives.html. Funding for This Week in Richmond is provided by: Thelma White, CEO and author of The Race for the White House 2008 Additional support is provided by: , Oakwood Main Street Inn, Blacksburg M. E. Marty Hall, Jr. Blueeld College, Blueeld, VA Omega T. Long Clinch Valley Printing, Tazewell Virginia State Fireghters Association Danny's Pawn & Auto Loans, Christiansburg The Doctor's Inn, Galax Abingdon Sandra C. Davis The Members of Blue Ridge PBS Covering many aspects of modern health: prevention, treatment, research, administration and medical technologies. Blue Ridge PBS is proud to bring you a new health program that will delve deeply into medical issues—to help you take charge of your healthcare. Each episode will focus on a dierent health topic, such as heart health, cancer, Alzheimer's, or diabetes. The program will also showcase some of the top-notch medical facilities and practitioners in our region. Julie Newman, Blue Ridge PBS executive producer, will host HealthQuest from our high denition studio in Roanoke, VA. During each episode, she will engage medical professionals in frank conversations about issues that matter most in our region. Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM on Blue Ridge PBS, serving all of SW Virginia. Visit BlueRidgePBS.org for broadcast schedules and more information. Congratulations Virginia! 10 Years of Excellence e-Procurement that delivers... Efficiency $25 Billion in orders + Opportunity 153,000 Solicitations Savings $308+ Million + Transparency 90% of state spend www.eVA.virginia.gov eVAAd_final_8.5x11.indd 1 3/29/11 1:58 PM What’s your passion? Medicine? Music? Justice? teaching? Business? art? service? sports? Faith? at Bluefield College, we believe passion makes life worth living, and the pursuit of passion allows for the accomplishment of goals and dreams. Whether it is to perform, compete, learn, lead, worship, serve, or simply belong, you can find your passion, nurture it, even live it at Bluefield College. Live your passion! MOBILE USERS VIRGINIA CAPITOL CONNECTIONS, SPRING 2011 bluefield.edu4 • facebook.com/bluefieldcollege • twitter.com/blfdcollege • [email protected] V IRGINIA Eulogy for Bruce F. Jamerson Q UARTERLY MAGAZINE 6 SPRING 2011 ISSUE George Bishop A Remarkable Legacy ............................ 6 Deputy Clerk Job Bruce F. Jamerson: Creation A Consummate Professional and Friend to Everyone....... 6 Virginia Leading the Way in Economic Development & Job Creation................ 10 10 Reports from Members of the Cabinet................. 11 Lt. Governor Congratulations to the Rams and Spiders!.............. 16 Bill Bolling Harvey B. Morgan Retires ......................... 18 Virginia’s Newest Cabinet Secretary.................. 19 The Departed Patriarch of Education’s Lobbyists ......... 20 Women of the Senate ............................ 21 Jack Knapp: Holding the Line for Religious Freedoms...... 22 A New Wrinkle In Federal Aid To Education ............. 23 11 Virginia’s Redistricting Process: Not Surprising But Particularly Disappointing ...........24 Career And Techncal Education: Governor’s Education For A Strong Economy .................... 25 Cabinet WHRO. 50 years old. And brand new. ................ 26 GRASP Turns Dreams Into Reality .................... 27 Experiencing the Virginia General Assembly ............ 27 20 Speaker Howell Congratulates Gordon Helsel ...........28 22 Behind the Scenes at the General Assembly ............28 Virginia General Assembly celebrates Dick Pulley the life and legacy of Henrietta Lacks ................29 Advocates for The Lighter Side of Lobbying . .30 70+ years Association and Business Directory .................. 31 On The Web www.vccqm.org Jack Knapp Volume 17 Number 2 Editors–Kristen Bailey-Hardy and Shirley Pappalardo Publisher–David Bailey; Art Director–John Sours School Distribution–Kristen Bailey-Hardy Advertising–[email protected]; Printer–Clinch Valley Printing 24 Published for: Virginians For Integrity In Government, Inc. Virginia Capitol Connections Quarterly Magazine Redistricting (ISSN 1076-4577) is published by: David Bailey Associates • 1001 East Broad Street • Suite 215 Richmond, Virginia 23219 • (804) 643-5554 Bill Shendow Copyright 2011, David Bailey Associates. 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, SPRING 2011 5 March 14, 1957– A Bruce F. Jamerson April 25, 2011 RemarkableClerk of the House of Delegates & Keeper of the Rolls of the Commonwealth My name is George Bishop. I am extremely honored to have been knew him well and by people who have only known him for a short asked by Bruce’s wife, Elizabeth, to pay tribute today to my former time. But what these stories share at their core is the great impact roommate, travel companion, trusted confidante, valued mentor, that one man can make on another’s life through the seemingly frequent collaborator, sometime co-conspirator, wonderful boss, and simple act of reaching out and making a connection. For many, Bruce dearest friend —Bruce Jamerson. connected by sending a note or a card, for others it was a phone call Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Like to say congratulations or best wishes. And for many of us, in times of you, I am overwhelmed by the reality of our need to gather here personal sorrow, Bruce was always there to offer his sympathy and today. This was a week that we were to welcome him back from his condolences, going out of his way to attend the funeral of a loved Mediterranean cruise. This was not supposed to be the week that one. I am certain that everyone in the room today has an example or we were to gather to say goodbye to this remarkable man. And he a story of their own. His were not not grand gestures, but simple and was remarkable. His life was remarkable. And the depth to which he consistent acts of thoughtfulness and kindness. On this foundation, touched our lives—often through the simplest acts of thoughtfulness Bruce built his reputation, his career, his friendships, and his legacy. and kindness—is a remarkable legacy that will live on after him in Bruce was Clerk of the House for 19 and a half years. In terms of the memories that each of us will cherish and the stories we will tell. consecutive years of service, his tenure is fourth all time in the history And so we give thanks for his life and honor him through the of House Clerks. That’s a remarkable statistic. And we know that he telling of stories and the sharing of memories. My story and my was respected and loved by the members of the House. But he was memories of Bruce Jamerson begin when I was in high school and also adored by those that called him boss. Bruce was our boss, but he worked in the House Post Office in 1980. But I have been amazed by called us his family. He believed that. We were his extended family, the stories that I have heard this week—some told on the floor of the and he cared for us in a familial, almost paternal way. He was proud of House, some shared via email, others by phone call—by people who his staff. He would say over and over again the he would put his “staff up against any other clerk’s staff in the country,” and he believed that. He was a believer in allowing staff to participate in professional organizations, and because of this several members of the House staff have become leaders in national legislative organizations. He knew that what was learned through sharing ideas with others across the country would benefit the members in Richmond, and he was right. He placed a high value on continuity. He was proud to list the number of years of service that his staff had accumulated working for the House, and so he worked hard to make sure that employees wanted stay with the House. And we did. Staff turnover in the House of Delegates is very rare, in no small measure because Bruce made us feel a part of something bigger than ourselves. He made our work seem important and helped us put it in the context of the bigger picture. He worked hard, from the day he first became Clerk, to elevate the level of professionalism in the House Clerk’s office, and, indeed one of his lasting legacies