Fairfax County, Virginia - Volkswagen Group of America yesterday celebrated the grand opening of its new U.S. corporate headquarters in Herndon, Virginia. The company has moved its operations from its previous location in Auburn Hills, Michigan; the new headquarters will also house Audi of America.

At the event, attended by state and local officials, Volkswagen announced a US$2.1 million philanthropic campaign of targeted support for educational entities in the Virginia/Washington region. The funds will provide financial, educational and other resources to George Mason University, Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia, Northern Virginia Community College, Fairfax County Public Schools and the Excel Institute in Washington, D.C.

“We are happy to have this chance to give something back to our community,” said Stefan Jacoby, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America. “We work here, we live here, and we intend to give here. Our five-year education program is comprehensive and will serve as a catalyst for further educational entrepreneurship. It will help students whether they are in high school, technical school, community college, university or graduate school. With all of these programs, we will train teachers so they can share knowledge on automotive safety and environmental technology.”

The Volkswagen Group’s building in the Woodland Park business campus, close to Washington Dulles International Airport, is also the U.S. headquarters for Audi Financial Services, Volkswagen Credit and other affiliated operations. The move to Herndon involved a US$100 million investment and created 400 jobs for the local economy.