Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Privacy protected and confidential information is restricted from public access for 75 years (Code of Virginia 42.1-78). Accession 44360, Folder 1: Office of the Attorney General Letters contains records that have Attorney-Client Privilege Restrictions ( 2.2-3705.1). These records have been minimally processed and it will be necessary for an archivist to review and remove or redact confidential records or information before the records can be used by patrons for research purposes or before any copies can be made. If you are planning to use these records, please contact Archives Reference Services for more details prior to planning your research trip.

Preferred Citation

Virginia Dept. of Business Assistance. Director's correspondence and subject files, [cite specific accession and dates used]. State government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Accession 42707 was transferred by Linda Baumgarner on June 12, 2006.

Accession 44360 was transferred by Stacy vanLeliveld in June 2009.

Processing Information

This collection was processed using minimal processing procedures.

Biographical Information

The Department of Business Assistance was created by act of the Virginia General Assembly in July of 1996 by codifying § 2.2-900 of the Code of Virginia. The impetus for its creation was a June 1994 economic planning initiative launched by Governor George F. Allen and known as Opportunity Virginia: A Strategic Plan for Jobs and Prosperity. Upon the agency's creation, it and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership divided the activities of the then Virginia Department of Economic Development which was then disbanded. The Department of Business Assistance operated until 2013, when it was consolidated along with the Department of Minority Business Enterprise into the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity.

The Department of Business Assistance was intended to serve as a one-stop government clearinghouse for business resources, financing and small business assistance programs. Its mission was to promote economic growth and development within the Commonwealth. It worked with new and existing businesses to provide workforce training and recruitment, loans, business information, procurement assistance, counseling, and educational opportunities for businesses. The Director of the Department of Business Assistance was appointed by the Governor and served at their pleasure.

Scope and Content

This collection contains mostly memorandums and outgoing correspondence from David G. Dickson from when he served as Director of Community and Business Services within the Dept. of Economic Development, between January 1992 and December 1998 as well as his time as Director of the Dept. of Business Assistance. Dickson was later Director of Existing Industry Development, and was appointed the first director of the Dept. of Business Assistance in 1996 by Governor George Allen. This accession also includes correspondence from Elizabeth J. Moran, Manager of Community Services in the Dept. of Economic Development.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged chronologically.