Vision
Enhance the vibrancy of the Fredericksburg, Northern Neck, and Middle Peninsula Regions
Mission
Bring new ventures into the region and build funding connections.
Ecosystem Initiatives
Identify and enable entrepreneurs at a greater rate – connecting entrepreneurs with investing opportunities and to educational institutions.
Create entrepreneurial gathers for both main street and high growth opportunities.
Develop recruiting and mentorship programs for entrepreneurs and businesses in the region.
Connect more explicitly across the region and to adjoining regions – specifically Richmond, the DC metro, and Hampton Roads.
Develop an internal startup network of founders and early stage companies.
Identify and hire ecosystem builders which are individuals whose sole purpose is to find entrepreneurs and engage with them.
Support the growth of veteran-owned businesses and the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority.
Identify and fill gaps that impede entrepreneurial activity in the region while advocating for public policies and grants that address the needs of entrepreneurs.
Facilitate programming targeting at active entrepreneurs.
Create shared resources for entrepreneurs and make them available on RRCC’s website.
Promote entrepreneur success stories and lessons across the region, as well as sharing the narrative of the community’s economic growth.
Organizational Summary
Centralized, entrepreneurial ecosystem and support systems play a critical role in facilitating & easing the ability of entrepreneurs to start something new. This type of support would push entrepreneurs to succeed and, in turn, contribute to the region’s economic growth. Done right, the ecosystem eventually becomes self-sustaining.
Rivers Region Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Executive Director
Michael Purello
Michael (Mike) Purello brings almost four decades of experience to the RREEC. His expertise includes networking, communications, problem solving, mentoring, collaboration and strategic planning.
Mike retired from government service in 2019 with 33 years of service; his last government job was leading the Corporate Operations Department at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) in King George County. He held leadership positions in the areas of chemical, biological, and radiological defense; ship production, repair, and overhaul; combat systems development, integration, training, and support; battlegroup interoperability; and electromagnetic environmental effects. In addition to working manufacturing in the private sector, he worked at two other NAVSEA commands — Surface Combat Systems Center in Wallops Island and Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth — as well as a one-year detail at NAVSEA headquarters in Washington. Upon retiring from the government, Mike worked for a government contractor, Applied Technology Inc., as Vice President of Operations and Innovation.
Mike is the author of several technical publications, and he has given numerous presentations at symposiums and conferences. His awards include the Superior and Meritorious Civilian Service Awards, the NSWC Human Awareness Award, the Commander’s Diversity and Inclusion Award, and numerous community service awards.
Mike is a licensed professional engineer (P.E.) in Virginia. He has attended numerous leadership development programs, including the Federal Executive Institute’s Leadership for a Democratic Society. He holds an engineering undergraduate degree and master’s degrees in business administration and systems engineering. He is on the board of the Dahlgren Heritage Foundation in King George. He supports St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in King George in many efforts, including leading the SPC2100 community outreach program and annual Oktoberfest event. Mike resides in King George County.
About Region 6
Region 6, also known as the Mary Ball Washington Regional Council, consists of the city of Fredericksburg; and the counties of Caroline, Essex, Gloucester, King and Queen, King George, King William, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Westmoreland.
The George Washington Regional Commission serves as Region 6’s support organization. The support organization will provide fiduciary oversight and administrative services for activities related to GO Virginia in Region 6.
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