VIRGINIA TECH - If the underachieving New Century Region were a person it might need a boost in self-esteem.

This week, the newborn Center for Regional Strategies at Virginia Tech released a benchmark analysis that compares the New Century Region with six similar areas around the country - Asheville, N.C.; Athens, Ga.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Fort Collins, Colo.; Knoxville, Tenn.; and Lexington, Ky. Not surprisingly, considering previous study, the analysis concluded the New Century Region lagged behind the six comparison regions in growth in jobs, population and per capita income during the prosperous 1990s.

It identified also a disturbing but not unanticipated education gap: 22 percent of the region's older-than-25 population do not have a high school diploma and only 11 percent of the same group have a bachelor's degree or higher. It found a lingering emphasis on manufacturing employment.

"I think the key thing to remember about this [analysis] is that these regions all looked like us 15 years ago and now, 10 or 15 years on, they are quite significantly different, particularly in a few areas," said Walter Rugaber, founder and board member of the Center for Regional Strategies.

The research compared U.S. census data from 1990 to 2000 and examined for comparison: demographics, employment, income, housing, education, health, environment, public safety, arts and culture, infrastructure and social capital.

Rugaber, former publisher of The Roanoke Times and Virginia Tech's first presidential fellow, acknowledged that the center's benchmark analysis "is just another study." But he said it provides fresh fodder to examine why other regions have fared better.

"What fascinates me is not, 'Woe is us, oh my gosh, this is gloom and doom,' but rather, 'What did they do that we could learn from?' What happened in Asheville, North Carolina, or Athens, Georgia, that enabled them to prosper in significant ways that we weren't able to do?"

Beth Doughty is president of the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce and was once executive director of the Roanoke Valley Economic Development Partnership. During her tenure as chairwoman of the Fifth Planning District Regional Alliance, Doughty helped shepherd the Regional Economic Strategy released in July 2002.

In short, Doughty is a veteran of the "woe is us" wars.

Doughty reviewed this week the Center for Regional Strategies' benchmark analysis and reacted in an e-mail.

"Is there something new here? It's like going back to the doctor for a second, third, fourth, fifth opinion but not asking what you should do about the condition," Doughty observed. "We're on at least the fifth opinion now."

Doughty said follow-up research about "why certain communities grow faster would be much more enlightening."

And that follow-up, referenced above by Rugaber, is planned.

"This is the foundation for us to do more work ... hopefully to provide some solutions," said Catherine Greenberg, executive director of the Center for Regional Strategies.

Graduate research assistants will focus now on specific factors "driving the success of these other regions," said researcher Ryan Lanham.

Rugaber acknowledged that a fundamental assumption for the center is that economic growth is good. He acknowledged also that some percentage of area residents feel the Roanoke and New River valleys are doing just fine without the crime, pollution, high housing costs and congestion of more prosperous regions.

"They're entitled to their point of view," he said, noting he believes the center should function like a newspaper - providing objective data to inform debate.

The center's advisory board includes businesspeople whose enterprises would benefit directly from economic and population growth: Wendy Zomparelli, president and publisher of The Roanoke Times; John Williamson, president of RGC Resources; and Dr. Ed Murphy, president of Carilion Health System, among others.

"I don't think any of these folks would deny that they have an economic, business interest in seeing growth occur," Rugaber said. "I certainly never did when I was publisher."

But Rugaber, who resides now in Patrick County, said he would be troubled by a suggestion that growth "is the only interest we have."

"It really doesn't matter to me financially or any other way whether the Roanoke and New River valleys are economically successful," he said. "But I've come to admire an awful lot about both places and I see people who are not doing well and I don't see any reason why their opportunities should not be as great as people's opportunities in Athens, Georgia."

Lanham said the center's focus is not unfettered growth for growth's sake.

"But I don't think anyone wants to lag behind on median income," he said, or on education, quality of health care, quality of transportation and infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Doughty is not alone in wondering whether the benchmark analysis plows new ground.

"The results of the study should not surprise anybody that has been paying attention," said Victor Iannello, founder and president of Synchrony and chairman of the Fifth Planning District Regional Alliance. "Our region continues to fall behind our peer regions in growth and prosperity."

Economist Christine Chmura, whose sobering analysis of the regional economy provoked a stir when released in November 2000, said the emphasis should be on remedies.

"Studies that are backward looking and don't lead to strategies for change are not going to help the region," she said.

Iannello worked with Doughty and many others to produce the Regional Economic Strategy, which identifies tactics designed to address many of the region's economic handicaps. Phil Sparks, executive director of the Roanoke Valley Economic Development Partnership, described the strategy as "a giant step in the right direction."

The NewVa Corridor Technology Council and others have started to target the recruitment and retention of knowledge workers and to provide support for fledgling entrepreneurs.

"The [benchmark] report does not address the myriad of activities that this region is already doing to reverse these trends," Iannello said, "such as: integrating the resources of our region to increase our visibility; creating a pool of capital that specifically targets local companies or companies that plan to move to this region; accelerating the transfer of technology from Virginia Tech to the community; and increasing the appeal of this region to the 'creative class' of knowledge workers."

The benchmark study's introduction references continued resistance in some quarters to regional cooperation for economic development. This is a pet peeve for Stuart Mease, who is affiliated with the Center for Regional Strategies.

Mease, who emphasized he was speaking for himself and not the center, said the region's stagnation can be attributed, in part, to "egos and territorial battles." He added, "For me personally, it's frustrating to see people not being able to get along in order to move the area forward."