Go Virginia — an emerging economic development initiative — recently certified nine regional councils representing each part of Virginia

According to a Go Virginia press release, the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board also adopted guidelines related to how each of the nine regions must thoroughly analyze their economies and identify opportunities for economic success.

The Southern Virginia Region of Go Virginia includes Buckingham, Cumberland, Prince Edward, Lunenburg, Charlotte, Patrick, Henry, Pittsylvania, Halifax, Mecklenburg, Brunswick, Nottoway, Amelia, Martinsville and Danville.

“As we look to grow and diversify our economy in every region, the regional councils will play a vital role in the implementation of Go Virginia,” Board Chairman John O. “Dubby” Wynne said in the release. “Each region has worked hard to identify leaders who are representative of their respective regions and who are committed to leveraging the power of public and private sector collaboration to create more higher paying jobs. We look forward to working with the regions to identify new opportunities for growth.”