On a picture-perfect day, Harry Virk and Gov. Jack Markell cut the big blue ribbon at 704 N. King St., which marked the official opening of Alpha Technologies in downtown Wilmington.
Virk has brought his IT services company to the city with plans to hire hundreds of tech employees. Just the thing to bring out a pack of local politicians.
The ribbon-cutting drew a crowd that was filled with executives and local government notables, including the governor, U.S. Rep. John Carney (D-Del.), Wilmington Mayor Dennis Williams, Delaware Economic Development Office Director Bernice Whaley, New Castle County Executive Tom Gordon, Delaware Rep. Stephanie Bolden (D), Wilmington City Council President Theo Gregory and A. Richard Heffron, the president of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce.
Markell noted that the caliber of the crowd reflected the importance of jobs and technology in the community.
“We need to continue to build a new pipeline of jobs for people to contribute to the future,” he said, noting that TechHire projects like Zip Code Wilmington and new programs at Delaware Technical Community College have been an integral part of that effort.
Rep. Carney was similarly excited about Alpha’s opening. “What you’re doing is a big deal for our country,” he told Virk at the ceremony, “and it’s a huge deal for our city and state.”
Virk spoke briefly about his story and, having come to New Jersey as a student from India who once made ends meet by delivering newspapers and selling yogurt out of Terminal C at Newark Airport, said he’s proud to be an embodiment of the American dream. This move to Wilmington, he said, will hopefully allow others to create their own American dreams.
“My dream,” he said, “is to fill up this building with IT employees locally.”
