Leo Priddy is an economic development planner II for the New River Valley Regional Commission. Earlier in his career, he worked for the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce and served as a small business advisor with the Greater Roanoke and New River Valley Small Business Development Center. He graduated from Virginia Tech in 2016 with a degree in communications studies. He has also completed two years of the Institute for Organization Management and participated in Leadership New River Valley.

1. What is your favorite part of your role at the New River Valley Regional Commission?

I enjoy getting to work with all the localities in the region and seeing how individual projects fit into the bigger picture. Each community has its own priorities and helping bring those together in a way that supports the entire New River Valley is meaningful. I also enjoy the mix of research, planning, and collaboration.

2. What inspired the Site Advancement Strategy project?

Our region knows site readiness is a barrier. We have strong assets: a skilled workforce, major institutions like Virginia Tech, Radford University, and New River Community College, and a quality of life that draws people here, but we don’t have enough competitive sites for companies that are ready to move quickly. This need has also been reinforced by partners like Onward NRV, who see firsthand how site availability shapes business attraction efforts in the region. This project grew out of the need to take a coordinated, regionwide effort to site availability.

3. What have you accomplished with the project so far, and what steps do you plan to take?

So far, we’ve collected site inventories and background materials from each locality, including previous studies and any known barriers that have slowed sites down. We completed the RFP and consultant selection process, which involved working closely with local partners to make sure the recommended firm reflects what the region needs.

As we move into the next phase, we will begin deeper evaluations and industry alignment work. From there, we’ll develop clear recommendations on what steps will meaningfully advance our priority sites. The goal is to give the region a practical roadmap that improves our competitiveness and guides future investment.

4. As you move forward with this project, is there anything in particular you are looking forward to learning or doing?

I’m looking forward to diving deeper into the industry side of this. Part of the value of this project is making sure our sites aren’t just technically ready, but competitive for the industries we’re trying to attract. I want to better understand which sites align with which industry profiles, where we have real strengths, and what gaps we need to address so site selectors see the New River Valley as a viable option.

This process will help us identify which industries are the best fit for each site, what each site needs to meet those expectations, and how the region can position itself more strategically. It also gives our localities clearer guidance on how to shape their long-term site strategies with industry competitiveness in mind.

5. Can you tell me about the long-term vision you have for this project?

Long-term, I’d love to see the New River Valley reach a point where we have a strong pipeline of sites at different levels of readiness instead of only a few options. The vision is a region that can respond quickly and confidently when companies are evaluating locations. That means advancing individual sites, but it also means having a framework in place so we can regularly update and maintain a competitive site inventory.

6. Who are the partners you are working with on this project, and what do you like most about working with them?

We’re working with every locality in the New River Valley (Floyd, Giles, Montgomery, and Pulaski Counties and the City of Radford), Onward NRV, utility partners, and the staff with GO Virginia Region 2. What I appreciate most is that everyone comes to the table with a regional mindset. Site development can easily become locality-specific, but in this project, there’s a real willingness to think about what strengthens the entire New River Valley. That makes the work collaborative and productive. Onward NRV also brings a valuable perspective on industry trends and business attraction, which helps make sure the work we’re doing reflects what companies are truly looking for.

7. What is your favorite part of being a GO Virginia grantee?

My favorite part is that GO Virginia gives regions the ability to take on big, strategic projects that require collaboration. The availability of this planning grant is helping us address a long-standing regional challenge and prepare our localities for future implementation funding, whether that’s through GO Virginia or other opportunities.

I also appreciate that the program encourages long-term thinking. It creates space for planning work that individual localities may not have the capacity to take on alone. The hope is that some of the best practices that come out of this effort can support other regions working through similar site development challenges.

8. What is the last book you read that you would recommend?

One book I always recommend is Switch by Chip and Dan Heath. It’s a great look at how people and organizations navigate change, and one of the big takeaways that sticks with me is how important it is to make change feel manageable. That idea shows up all the time in regional planning and economic development.

I’d also recommend pretty much anything by Patrick Lencioni. His books do a great job of breaking down team dynamics and organizational health in a way that’s simple, practical, and useful in day-to-day work.

9. What is the most memorable place you have ever visited?

A more recent place I visited that I think everyone should know about is The Conery in Draper, Virginia. It’s housed in the old Draper High School building, and the redevelopment is impressive. They’ve transformed the space into an inviting ice cream and coffee shop while keeping the character of the original school. It’s a great example of how thoughtful redevelopment can give an old building new life.

Outside of that, any spot I end up hiking in the New River Valley is always a treat. There’s something special about having so many trails and outdoor spaces right in our backyard.

10. What do you like most about living in GO Virginia Region 2?

Region 2 has a great mix of community feel and opportunity. You get to work with communities that care about their future, and there’s a sense of shared investment in making the region stronger. On top of that, we have incredible outdoor access, great local businesses, and the kind of quality of life that’s hard to find anywhere else. It’s an easy place to feel grounded and connected.