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Fairfax County Economic Development Authority
The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) is an independent authority in Fairfax County, Virginia, created under Virginia state law in 1964 and funded by Fairfax County government. The FCEDA exists to promote investment and business growth in Fairfax County in order to expand the commercial tax base. The FCEDA does this by managing marketing programs that encourage businesses to expand or relocate to the county.

In addition to its marketing programs, the FCEDA provides assistance to existing and new Fairfax County businesses by locating office space, providing market information, linking entrepreneurs with potential investors, and providing liaison services between businesses and Fairfax County regulatory agencies.

The FCEDA also offers monthly workshops for entrepreneurs interested in starting or expanding a business in Fairfax County. Other programs target foreign-owned and small, minority- and woman-owned businesses.

The FCEDA’s headquarters are in the Tysons Corner area of Fairfax County, with satellite offices located in San Francisco, Bangalore, Frankfurt, London, Seoul and Tel Aviv.

History
In 1956 the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors formed an advisory group on economic development called the Industrial Development Commission. This group existed until 1964 when the Virginia General Assembly acted to create the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority. Acting on concerns about population increases and funding of county services, the Board of Supervisors in the late 1970s tasked the FCEDA with its mission to create a business retention and attraction campaign that formed the basis of the EDA’s current programs and purpose.

Governance
The FCEDA operates under the direction of seven commissioners, who are local business people appointed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. The commissioners govern and oversee the FCEDA’s policies and programs. Commissioners serve for four-year terms and hire the FCEDA president, who since 1987 has been Gerald L. Gordon, Ph.D.

2008 FCEDA Board of Commissioners: Steven L. Davis, Chairman Michael S. Horwatt, Vice Chairman Ronald C. Johnson Michael Lewis Ann Rodriguez Sudhakar Shenoy William Soza