Middleburg Business and Professional Association seeks info on job openings

— The Middleburg Business and Professional Association is asking its members to provide information about job openings as the association prepares to represent its members at a job fair in Leesburg next month.

In order to best represent job openings at member businesses, MBPA is requesting that members email info@visitmiddleburgva.com by March 31 with the following information: the name of the business or organization, a description of the business and details about the job opening, including whether it is full- or part-time, basic requirements such as education, whom to contact about the position and how to apply. A sample information sheet is available here.

The job fair will be held April 16 from 1-4 p.m. at the Leesburg Volunteer Fire Co. at 215 Loudoun St. SW. The association is also seeking volunteers to represent MBPA at the table.

“We need the information from you, including info about your business, about the position, how to apply, etc., so that we can be the best salesman that we can be,” said MBPA Board Member Anne Marie Paquette at the March 12 Biz Buzz, held at Salamander Resort & Spa‘s Harrimans Virginia Piedmont Grill.

The meeting also served to highlight recent accomplishments of Middleburg businesses, including Salamander’s new five-star rating from Forbes Travel Guide. With Sheila Johnson at its helm, Salamander became both the first female-owned and female African-American-owned hotel to make the list.

“There’s only 220 five-star properties in the entire world,” said Reggie Cooper, Salamander’s general manager. “And when you look at that list, that includes a lot of Four Seasons, a lot of Ritz-Carltons, a lot of amazing places in Macau and Las Vegas, London, Paris, world-class cities. To think an independent property like this would be able to get itself onto that board is pretty remarkable.”

Other Middleburg businesses winning awards this month included three local wineries that received medals at the Virginia Wineries Association’s annual Governor’s Cup: 50 West, Boxwood Estate Winery and Greenhill Winery & Vineyards. Several MBPA members also received recognition in the Loudoun Times-Mirror‘s “Best of Loudoun” awards, including Goodstone Inn & Restaurant, The Hill School, Climatic Heating & Cooling, Salamander Resort and Visit Loudoun.

The meeting also highlighted several new businesses that have recently moved to town, including WW Monograms, psychologist Kim Miner and Little Lambkins, a children’s clothing and accessories shop located in The Shaggy Ram. Other news of note on the local business front includes the re-opening of Second Chapter Books at its new location at 13 E. Washington St., the beginning of renovations at Old Ox Brewery‘s new location in Middleburg on S. Madison Street, and the 50th anniversary of Middleburg Millwork Inc. Lumber & Hardware on April 1.

MBPA also provided information about its recent Facebook advertising campaigns for the Winter Weekend Sale. The association ran two ads, which each reached 3,000-5,000 people, with 300-775 engagements, including likes, comments and shares.

Also at the meeting, the association provided the results of its recent online membership survey, which received 32 responses. The survey found that 59% of respondents found Biz Buzz to be the most useful member benefit, 41% found print marketing to be the least useful, 66% said social media was the most beneficial ad type, 81% said western Loudoun was the geographic area most familiar with MBPA businesses, and 34% said MBPA marketing should target eastern Loudoun.

Jamie Gaucher, Middleburg’s business and economic development director, also announced at the meeting that the Town of Middleburg is planning to host a workshop on digital literacy for retail businesses next month. Other upcoming events of note include:

We hope to see you at the next Biz Buzz, to be held at the National Sporting Library & Museum on April 9. RSVP via Facebook or by email to info@visitmiddleburgva.com.