Diane Akers to Retire from Blacksburg Partnership

Diane Akers, President of the Blacksburg Partnership, will retire from her role after almost 19 years at the helm. As its first director, and later as president, Akers helped launch the public-private economic development group in 2002.

Founded as a partnership between the Town of Blacksburg, Virginia Tech, and the local business community, the partnership and Akers have been a driving force in local economic development and quality of life initiatives for almost two decades.

“Diane’s incredible skill set has enabled her to grow an organization of community volunteers into a strong economic advocate for Blacksburg and Southwest Virginia. She has blended people from academia, politics, and business into an effective instrument for the benefit of the region both economically and socially,” said current board chair Wally Nelson and Vice President SIA Group-Insurance.

Helping to put Blacksburg on the regional events map, Akers developed major signature-gathering such as wine tasting Fork and Cork, Brew Do for beer lovers, the Virginia Cheese Fest, Blacksburg Restaurant Week, and the Blacksburg Partnership Collaborative for the Arts.

Marc Verniel, Blacksburg Town Manager and one of the Partnership’s organizers says, “Since becoming the first staff member back in 2002, Diane has led the Blacksburg Partnership from a fledgling organization into the mature economic development partnership it is today. Diane has left a solid foundation for the Partnership’s continued positive contributions to Blacksburg and the New River Valley.”   

Under Akers’ leadership, the Partnership helped guide increased communications between local government, Virginia Tech, retailers, and the larger business community and non-profits. She launched merchants’ groups for South Main, North Main, and University Center Boulevard. Acting as the economic development arm for the town, she developed the Step Into Blacksburg marketing initiative and associated ongoing business recruitment and retention programs.

“As one of the founding members of the Blacksburg Partnership, I have had the opportunity of working with Diane for the entire 19 years she has been leading the Partnership. I have never hired, nor worked with, someone with such outstanding communication and organizational skills as Diane. Her abilities in bringing divergent groups together, to accomplish great things, is one of her greatest assets,” said Bill Aden, former board chair and former owner of Draper Aden and Associates. 

Akers created and launched the whimsical Gobble de Art program in 2005, gaining publicity and notoriety for Blacksburg. Along the way, it also supported dozens of regional artists and added to Blacksburg’s distinctive flavor and culture. More than 100 large Hokie birds were sold and many grace homes and businesses throughout the region.

During her tenure, the Blacksburg Partnership has grown from 22 member organizations to more than 70.

“As a lead advocate for the interests of Town of Blacksburg, the business community, and Virginia Tech, Diane has been especially adept at recognizing where those interests align and helping us move forward on that common ground,” said Dwayne Pinkney, senior vice president, and chief business officer at Virginia Tech. “The partnership and her leadership have made our quality of life in this area more vibrant and our economic resilience stronger. We owe a debt of gratitude to Diane and the Blacksburg Partnership.”

The Partnership organized and continues to lead the NRV Passenger Rail Initiative seeking to return passenger rail service to the New River Valley. “The impact of her energy and innovation has been felt not only in economic development in Blacksburg, but throughout our region. Her leadership on the broad stage is helping to lead the return of passenger rail service to the New River Valley,” said former board chair Sandy Davis and owner of BCR Property Management.

The Partnership has served as a valuable communications forum for the town, the university, and the business community. “Diane has effectively served us through her recognized credibility, unquestioned integrity, ability to work effectively with stakeholder groups, whose views were sometimes at odds, and she kept it all moving forward,” said Ed Lawhorn, former chair of the board.

Akers, who plans to continue her volunteer work on local non-profits, said, “The past 18 years serving as President of the Blacksburg Partnership have been the most rewarding of my 30+ year career. I am so proud of all we have accomplished as an organization and all that we have done together to further the economy and quality of life in Blacksburg and the region.”

Prior to working with the Blacksburg Partnership Akers ran her own consulting firm, ComBiz Solutions in Roanoke and worked for the City of Roanoke, including Acting Assistant City Manager, Director of Economic Development, and Budget Administrator.

The Blacksburg Partnership has an active search underway for Akers’ replacement after she retires effective June 30.