VB mayor announces new jobs in address

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - Alex Stolle successfully made the transition from a restaurant server to a customer service representative for one of Virginia Beach's largest employers. "It seemed like I was spending, quite a few months looking for a job and it's a hard economy to do that in," Stolle told WAVY.com

In his State of the City address, Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms said jobs will be easier to find for about 200 people.

Avis Budget Group , a car rental company, is creating jobs that pay an average of $70,000 per year.

"Avis has decided to relocate 100 senior management positions from New Jersey to Virginia Beach. The bulk of these jobs are being created for our Hampton Roads region," Sessoms said.

More than 100 people will join Stolle at GEICO in new positions with benefits. Regional Vice President Joe Thomas said, "They come to GEICO for the opportunities, the fact that we're hiring and have jobs. Then they get there and we teach them all about the benefit package and they say we can't believe it - on top of everything else we offer."

An excited Stolle said, "They coach you, they provide educational programs."

Virginia Beach Economic Development Director Warren D. Harris said a recent study showed that the city is one of the least expensive places to operate a corporate headquarters.

“Virginia Beach is quickly becoming a hub for businesses to grow their operations," he said. "Company decision-makers realize that our community supports their corporate business needs.”

As private companies hire in Virginia Beach, Sessoms said the city will keep working to balance a budget with declining real estate revenues.

"We will be challenged. We will have to trim some programs, and we may have to find some new revenue sources. As we work through these trying times, it's my hope that we are able to preserve the high quality of life that we enjoy as Virginia Beach citizens," Sessoms said.

He outlined several priorities for the future including regionalism, light and high speed rail, and green industries. He explained, "We could be, we should be, the Silicon Valley of alternative energy... Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads are ideally situated among all East Coast localities for wind development. We have outstanding wind resources, we have a robust electrical grid, and we have a trained workforce and the industrial capacity to build these facilities."

Sessoms concluded his remarks by saying, "We could take a dark view of the coming years, but I'm asking you to walk with me and approach this as a time of great opportunity."

For Alex Stolle, opportunity has just become reality. "It's nice to know that I have the help to move in different directions in my career," she said.

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