Alliance for Building Better Medicine Hosts U.S. Economic Development Administration and Senator Mark Warner at a Roundtable Discussion about Building a Reliable Supply of Safe, High-Quality, Affordable Medicines
Richmond/Petersburg, VA – Alliance for Building Better Medicine, a coalition powered by multi-jurisdictional public and private sector stakeholders in the Richmond-Petersburg region, was honored to host members of the U.S. Economic Development Administration and Senator Mark Warner at an engaging roundtable discussion celebrating the public and private sector stakeholders who were selected as winners of the national Build Back Better Regional Challenge award.
Roundtable participants included Senator Mark Warner; Linda Cruz-Carnall, Regional Director, U.S. Economic Development Administration; Scott Andes, Build Back Better Regional Challenge Program Lead; Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick; Chandra Briggman, President and CEO, Activation Capital; Mayor Levar Stoney, City of Richmond; Mayor Sam Parham, City of Petersburg; Christopher Winslow, Chairman of the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors; Dr. Frank Gupton, Founder and CEO, Medicines for All Institute; Dr. Eric Edwards, Co-founder and CEO Phlow Corp; Dr. Michael Rao, President, Virginia Commonwealth University; Dr. Makola Abdullah, President, Virginia State University; Elizabeth Creamer, Vice President, Community College Workforce Alliance; Ted Raspiller; President of Brightpoint Community College; Jennifer Wakefield, President & CEO, Greater Richmond Partnership; Keith Boswell, President & CEO, Virginia’s Gateway Region ED; and Ned McCoy, CEO CivicaRx.
Participants discussed the national significance of the Build Back Better Regional Challenge and how the award is making generational investments into regional economies, driving economic recovery, and putting communities across the country on the path toward economic competitiveness. The event also provided stakeholders a forum to highlight their plans to create high quality jobs in innovative industries and their efforts to ensure all workers benefit from skill building and access to those jobs, increased wages, and opportunities for advancement. The Alliance also announced that Walmart is joining the coalition as part of its efforts to reshore manufacturing of a reliable supply of quality and affordable medicines to U.S. consumers and create American Jobs.
As the Alliance for Building Better Medicine’s newest member, Walmart will collaborate with the founding board to define a new era in R&D, advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing, workforce development, and supply chain development. Joining the Alliance is an example of one of Walmart’s efforts to expand the manufacturing of products in the United States. Their commitment toward purchasing $350 billion in products made, grown or assembled in the U.S. supports the creation of American jobs while creating a dependable supply of quality, affordable medicines for U.S. consumers. Walmart’s investment in U.S. manufacturing includes supporting emerging clusters of innovation and manufacturing, like the coalition in the Richmond-Petersburg region, as a way to create robust domestic supply chains and jobs.
About the Alliance for Building Better Medicine
Alliance for Building Better Medicine is driven by an immediate and urgent need to create a reliable supply of safe, high-quality, and affordable medicines for all. The Alliance is powered by multi-jurisdictional public and private sector stakeholders in the Richmond-Petersburg region working together to define a new era in R&D, advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing, workforce development, and supply chain development. For more information, visit buildingbettermedicine.com.