Southwest Virginia is coaxing its natives home with an ambitious campaign entitled "Return to Roots". Virginia has found that attracting businesses to the region is not a problem; businesses are eager to move to the area in order to utilize the local workforces for their procedures and operations. However, these companies find that they are struggling to fill numerous management and higher level positions. The goal of the initiative is to spread the word that Southwest Virginia’s economy is growing, and the need for qualified individuals to fill upper level vacancies is immense.

Spearheading this campaign is Smyth County, Va. Administrator, Ed Whitmore. He recognized that if the area was unable to provide employees with adequate skill levels, they would run the risk of losing future economic opportunities. He feared that if his region was unable to offer the resources needed for an expanding or incoming company, Southwest Virginia would be left behind. Knowing that the need for an increased number of professionals was growing, he began planning and researching solutions to Smyth’s dilemma. In his search, he discovered that his county was not alone. Surrounding counties and cities were experiencing the same issues.

Whitmore decided to team up with others from the region to form a "Return to Roots" committee. He emphasizes that the program would not be successful without those who volunteer from both the Public and Private Sectors. The committee is made up of representatives from surrounding areas and organizations, including Shannon Blevins with the  Virginia Department of Business Assistance who runs the Return to Roots campaign on a day to day basis. Heather Porterfield, Business Development Director for Anderson & Associates is a member of the committee as well, and has written the numerous grant applications to fund the project. Porterfield is also valued by the "Return to Roots" Committee for her opinion. She fits the profile of the campaign’s target audience in terms of skills and age group, and because of this, the committee feels that she can relate to potential employees.

Now, the "Return to Roots" campaign has officially kicked off, and the committee is charging full steam ahead. Virginia Governor Tim Kaine helped launch the campaign on October 12, 2006 when he officially unveiled "Return to Roots" at the authority headquarters in Lebanon, Virginia.