About Us

EDA Mission
The primary purpose of the EDA, in conjunction with the City Council, is to foster and stimulate economic development and redevelopment within the City of Fairfax, Virginia. To carry out this purpose, the EDA will support bond financing for projects within its powers as granted by the Virginia General Assembly and work with the City’s Economic Development Office (EDO) to advance business recruiting and expansion efforts. Further, the EDA and EDO will facilitate small business improvement and incubation, as well as promote an active dialogue within the business community, all in partnership with area business and educational resources.

EDA Members

The EDA consists of seven members appointed by the Mayor and City Council. The Authority meets the third Wednesday of each month and recesses in August and December. The EDA meets in the Fairfax Innovation Center first floor conference center located at 4031 University Drive, Fairfax.

At present the EDA’s principal activities relate to the issuance of public bonds. The scope of bonding projects ranges from $2.5 to $40 million. Currently, the city is considering a Master Plan for the redevelopment of Fairfax Boulevard, the principal source of the city’s business tax revenue. As the redevelopment plan matures and project implementation begins, the nature of the EDA’s involvement in development projects is likely to broaden and the scale of its bonding projects is likely to increase.

The EDA also functions as a land owner. In cooperation with the city, the Authority strategically acquires under-utilized properties for the purposes of land assemblage and future redevelopment. The EDA currently owns parcels in the commercial block known as George Mason Square located in the historic downtown. The Authority continues to monitor other properties in the city for potential revitalization opportunities.

Additionally, in conjunction with the Small Business Development Center and George Mason University, the EDA operates a business incubator known as the Fairfax Innovation Center. The center is home to several GMU programs and private start-up businesses. Numerous businesses have graduated from the incubator and now occupy commercial space in the city helping to strengthen its economic base.

• Virginia Acts of Assembly
• City of Fairfax Enabling Ordinance

 
Bios

Chris Todd
Chairman

Mr. Todd is a 7th generation Washingtonian with more than 25 years of experience in the practice of architecture, land development, building development and construction.  His resume encompasses single family and multi-family residential, retail, office and mixed-use projects as both a designer and a developer, with design services across the United States of approximately 500 million dollars and development projects throughout the Northeast totaling close to one billion dollars.

A graduate of the UVA School of Architecture, Mr. Todd is a Fairfax City resident currently employed with a large national multi-family developer in Reston, Virginia.  His professional career includes work for national architecture and development firms in Georgia, Virginia and Washington, DC.

W. Craig Havenner
Vice Chairman

Mr. Havenner is a graduate of Purdue University with a degree in Construction Management. A native of Northern Virginia, he and his family have resided in The City of Fairfax since 1980. Over the years he has been actively involved in many community and professional organizations.

Serving the Fairfax community, he is a past member of the Fairfax Police Youth Club (FPYC) Board of Directors and the Jermantown Elementary (now Providence) representative to the City School System’s Facilities and Planning Committee. He currently serves as Vice President of the Fairfax Renaissance Housing Corporation.

In addition, he is past board member of the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance (NVTA) and a current member of The George Mason University School of Managements’ Dean’s Advisory Council.

Mr. Havenner’s career in construction led to his involvement with the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association (NVBIA) where he is a past President , former ASPAC trustee, and was named Builder of the year in 2002. He has also served on the Executive Committee of the Homebuilders Association of Virginia (HBAV) and on the Board of Directors of The National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB). He is currently a Build-Pac trustee.

Mr. Havenner has been a principal and President of the Christopher Companies since 1995. Christopher has developed a number of new home communities throughout the Northern Virginia area. In recent years the company has expanded its services to include general contracting, remodeling, light commercial construction and investor services. The company is currently active in the Mid-Atlantic Region from Caroline County, Va to Sussex County , Delaware.

Fred O. Cornett, Jr.

Jorge Haddock

Cathy Pumphrey

Matthew Rooney

John Sabo