IT company to create 580 new jobs in Blacksburg

Tucked away in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center is 1901 Group, an IT service provider whose corporate offices are in Fairfax County.

"We have about 180 people here in Blacksburg today," said Brian Lubin, the company's senior vice president. "Company-wide I think we're just over 300."

But that number is about to skyrocket after the company announced a $4 million expansion that will create more than 800 new jobs, with 580 of those jobs coming to Montgomery County.

"Being in a relatively small town, we've got a very large number of excellent colleges and universities that basically help us grow," Lubin said.

The company will receive money from the Virginia Jobs Investment Program, which supports employee training activities for new and expanding companies.

Chris Tuck, the chair of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, said Thursday's announcement will help keep recent grads in the region.

"We're going to be able to keep some of those folks here that have traditionally been going to Northern Virginia, been going to Richmond and other places," he said.

The IT industry is one economic development groups are targeting to attract to the New River Valley.

Tuck said the sheer number of jobs this expansion will create is good news for the county.

"This is a huge amount," he said. "This will become one of the largest private employers here in Montgomery County and the New River Valley, and that's exciting."

The company is also finalizing negotiations for a new 40,000 square-foot operations facility in Blacksburg that is expected to be ready by early-2020.