Congressman Eric Cantor and Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc. Discuss Job Growth at Virginia BioTechnology Research Park

RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Congressman Eric Cantor (VA-07) and Tonya Mallory, co-founder, President and CEO of Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc. (HDL, Inc.), a CAP accredited leader in health management, participated in a panel discussion focused on innovation and economic growth with local business leaders at the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park in Richmond.

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"We all are here to talk about jobs for Virginia. There is no better place to come than the BioTech Park to have that discussion, because here I am surrounded by individuals who believe that this country offers an individual unlimited potential if they're willing to step forward, take a risk and take an idea to the market," said Congressman Cantor during the roundtable discussion. "That's exactly what the success has been of companies here, each one of them started with an idea, started with an individual that decided to commit capital, time, resources, hard work and made something of it." Read Congressman Cantor's remarks here.

Following the roundtable discussion, Congressman Cantor toured HDL, Inc. facilities, providing an opportunity to learn more about the laboratory's successful expansion and hiring of over 350 employees in the past two years. "At a time when job growth has been challenged, our lab has demonstrated what is possible when entrepreneurship and creativity is encouraged through a pro-growth approach without barriers," said Mallory. "When launching Health Diagnostic Laboratory, we did our homework and picked the Commonwealth as the ideal location to grow our business. Our advanced lab, which represents the spirit of the Virginia Life Science community, is growing an average of five percent per week and is an example of the type of innovation and job creation that is the backbone of our region. I thank Congressman Cantor for his visit today to discuss policies that will allow companies like ours to grow and create jobs across the country."

Robert T. Skunda, Chairman, President and CEO of the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park hosted today's roundtable discussion. "Congressman Cantor's visit to the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park highlights the importance of the Park and its affiliated organizations dedicated to starting new knowledge-based businesses and commercializing innovative technology," said Skunda. "Virginia's ability to stay ahead of global competition depends upon many factors including a highly-trained workforce, good business climate and resources to help entrepreneurs succeed in creating successful companies and high-paying jobs. The Virginia BioTechnology Research Park has made a significant contribution to building Virginia's future economy, as evidenced by the economic impact study conducted by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership showing total economic impact of more than $6.4 billion over the past 16 years. With the cooperation of government at all levels, this positive impact can and will continue to grow in coming years," he added.

About Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc.

Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc. (HDL, Inc.), a CAP accredited leader in health management, offers a comprehensive test menu of risk factors and biomarkers for cardiovascular and related diseases. Our systematic approach identifies factors contributing to disease and provides a basis for effective treatment, allowing physicians to more effectively manage patients.  As an added value, patients receive a personalized overview of their risk factors along with intensive counseling from expert Health Coaches at no additional cost, improving compliance and enhancing satisfaction. For more, visit www.myhdl.com.

About the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park

The Virginia BioTechnology Research Park is currently home to a unique mix of over 60 public and private bioscience companies, research institutes affiliated with the VCU Medical Center, and major state and national medical laboratories. These companies are housed in nine buildings totaling more than 1.1 million square feet of space, representing an employee base that exceeds 2,000. The Park's nationally recognized biosciences business incubation program, the Virginia Biosciences Development Center (VBDC), has successfully graduated more than 40 client companies, including three publicly traded firms.  VBDC's client companies and graduates have attracted more than $400 million in equity, grant and strategic capital.  The Park's Virginia Biosciences Commercialization Center was created to assist international life sciences companies locating at the Park with commercialization activities through M&A or IPO, giving these Park's tenants full-scale business assistance as they enter the US market. The Commercialization Center is working with 12 bioscience companies with technologies ranging from medical devices to diagnostics and therapeutics.  www.vabiotech.com

SOURCE HDL, Inc.