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This week, Governor Glenn Youngkin met with President Stubb of Finland to discuss best practices for strengthening the business relationship between Virginia and Finland, including mutual trade and investment initiatives.
Finland is a significant player in cross continental relationships for Virginia. As one of the fastest-growing sources of foreign direct investment in the United States, Finnish industry sectors such as shipbuilding, logistics and IT/software naturally pair with existing business ecosystems in Virginia. Virginia exported $49M in products to Finland in 2023 and imported $93M in goods from Finland.
Governor Youngkin also announced that the Virginia National Guard has been selected as the U.S. partner to the nation of Finland for the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program. The official state partnership signing ceremony occurred at the Finnish Ministry of Defense with signing partners Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen, Maj. Gen. James W. Ring, the Adjutant General of Virginia and Gen. Janne Jaakkola, Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces in Helsinki, Finland.
This week, while on his international trade mission to Europe, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that Topsoe, a Danish manufacturer and global leader in carbon emission reduction technologies, plans to invest more than $400 million to build a factory at Meadowville Technology Park in Chesterfield County to go along with 150 new jobs.
Governor Youngkin also announced that ESS Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of the Pacteon Group that specializes in complete packaging line design and equipment manufacturing, will invest $1.6 million to increase capacity and expand in Montgomery County, increasing the square footage to 40,000 square feet at the new location to increase production capacity. The project will create 27 new jobs.
Governor Youngkin also visited LEGO HQ and presented the LEGO team with essays and drawings from 5th graders at J.B. Watkins Elementary School in Chesterfield on what LEGO moving to Chesterfield means to them. Essays from students like Neela shine a light on the Virginia LEGO possibilities!
Last week, First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin and Governor Glenn Youngkin welcomed all former Governors and First Ladies back to the historic Executive Mansion for a first-in-over-a-decade gathering to honor the Commonwealth. A special performance was given by the Blue Ridge Mountain-based folk artists Andrew Small and Ashlee Watkins to highlight the 20th anniversary of the famed ‘Crooked Road’ and Virginia’s music traditions. The honored guests had the opportunity to explore the second installment of the Art Experience “Do What You Love in Virginia” – originally created by First Lady Suzanne S. Younkin’s love of art and desire to highlight inspirational works by Virginia artists. The dinner included a three-course meal prepared by Executive Chef Ed Gross paired with Virginia wines from Governor’s Cup winner, King Family Vineyards.
This week, Governor Youngkin visited with Virginia service members stationed at Ramstein Air Base, the largest American community outside the U.S., and thanked them for their dedication and commitment to our country. While they are currently serving abroad, they will always have a home in Virginia. God bless them all.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail is a 330 mile driving trail through the mountains of Southwest Virginia highlighting the Commonwealth’s rich musical #homehistory. Connecting nine major venues and over 60 affiliated venues across nineteen counties, four cities and over fifty towns, The Crooked Road has increased national recognition for the region’s cultural impact and is celebrated in the Art Experience at the Executive Mansion. Artist-in-residence for The Crooked Road, Andrew Small captivates audiences with a sound that is undeniably emblematic of the heart of the region alongside partner Ashlee Watkins. In addition to their many accolades as a duo, Andrew and Ashlee recently performed for the Governor, First Lady and former Virginia governors and their partners at the Executive Mansion, enhancing the atmosphere of an already festive evening.
