The Times West Virginian

Local News

June 4, 2009

Exports key for county businesses

Backbone Security, Helmick Corp. gain state recognition for their expansion

By Jessica Legge

FAIRMONT — Two Marion County businesses were recently recognized for their growth in exporting.

Backbone Security and Helmick Corp., both Fairmont businesses, were among the 49 West Virginia companies that Gov. Joe Manchin, the West Virginia Export Council and the U.S. Department of Commerce acknowledged for expanding their business to new parts of the world. The awards presentation was held at the State Capitol on May 27.

“West Virginia businesses have long proven we have the quality of goods, services and workers to compete successfully in the global economic arena,” Manchin said in a press release. “International trade and investment help to create and retain jobs in West Virginia.”

These businesses were awarded the Governor’s Commendation for International Market Entry, which is a plaque for entering new international markets in the past year. The award features the currency of the new country or countries where the company successfully exported.

“It recognizes a company that has exported to a particular country for the first time,” Catherine Zacchi, communications specialist for the West Virginia Department of Commerce, said. “It’s their first successful export to a new market.”

In 2002, the state developed this annual award. Zacchi said some of this year’s recipients are repeat winners, including the two from Marion County.

Backbone Security, incorporated in 2000, moved its Fairmont location from Veterans’ Square to Mountain Gate Park — off Route 250 South — in December. The company also has offices in Saylorsburg, Pa., and Sudbury, Mass.

Jim Wingate, vice president of Backbone Security and director of the Steganography Analysis and Research Center (SARC), said the business does work in computer and network security. The two major focus areas are SARC and Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) compliance assessments.



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