GRUNDY, VA – AUGUST 10, 2026 – Reclamation, landscaping, road maintenance and more are among the services Gene Boyd is providing in Buchanan County and beyond through his new business, RKB Enterprises, LLC.
RKB Enterprises, LLC is a recent recipient of a $10,000 Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA) Seed Capital Matching Grant. Seed capital grants are funded from regional funds received by VCEDA which are paid by the natural gas industry.
“RKB Enterprises, LLC offers a variety of services in the region which serve to support reclamation needs of both the coal and gas industries, as well as other businesses and industries throughout the region,” said Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA executive director/general counsel. “With the addition of handyman and odd job services for residential customers as the business continues to grow, RKB Enterprises, LLC projects two full-time employees and three part-time employees within five years.”
Boyd has more than 35 years of experience working with all aspects of mining reclamation, stream mitigation, implementing drainage and specific grades from engineering maps and more. A southwest Virginia native, he worked in the mining industry, managing surface mine property for 21 years of his previous career and he spent a year working for the Virginia Department of Mined Land Reclamation, now Virginia Energy, as an inspector. In 2009 he received a DMLR Reclamationist of the Year Award for the forest restoration project of the Bearwallow Surface Mine operated by TECO Coal.
“We are starting out with smaller jobs and plan to grow as we gain equipment and employ additional people,” Boyd said. “Our goal is to provide the highest quality reclamation to our agencies and public citizens to prevent flooding and damage, correcting drainage problems and adding value, beauty and wildlife habitat while also enhancing our ecosystem.”
Providing quality and affordable landscaping services is also a goal of the business.
“I’ve always had a passion for landscaping and I’ve always wanted a business of my own,” Boyd said. “We want to be the company citizens and agencies want on their properties because of the high quality finished product we provide,” Boyd said.
Boyd used the seed capital grant toward the purchase of a dump trailer to move machinery and supplies to and from job work sites.
“The seed capital grant gave my business a leg up,” Boyd said. “I would not have been able to do nearly as much getting things started without it.”
The services Boyd provides are primarily offered in Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell and Tazewell counties, although Boyd said he is willing to travel up to two hours in any direction from Grundy depending on the size of the job.
Boyd worked with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Southwest Virginia Community College (SWCC) in developing his application to VCEDA. He received a letter of support from the Buchanan County Industrial Development Authority.
“We are always excited to see experienced entrepreneurs invest in Southwest Virginia by launching businesses that provide specialized services and strengthen our local economy,” said Denise Harmon, SBDC director at SWCC. “It was a pleasure working with Gene as he established RKB Enterprises, LLC. With more than 35 years of experience, Gene brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to this new venture. His commitment to providing high-quality reclamation services, landscaping, road maintenance and emergency response services will be a valuable asset to Buchanan County and the surrounding region. The SBDC is proud to have assisted Gene as he launched his business and we look forward to watching RKB Enterprises, LLC grow, create new opportunities and make a lasting positive impact throughout Southwest Virginia. We wish Gene continued success as he builds his business and serves our communities.”
“The services provided by RKB Enterprises, LLC provide a great avenue for local reclamation, landscaping and emergency response assistance in our area,” said Buchanan County IDA Executive Director Craig Horn. “The Buchanan County IDA was pleased to support Mr. Boyd’s application for a VCEDA seed capital grant and we look forward to seeing his business continue to grow and serve residents and other businesses in our county and beyond.”
For more information about RKB Enterprises, LLC interested persons may call 276-244-2243.
About Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority and Southwest Virginia’s e-Region: The Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority, created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1988 to enhance and diversify the region’s economy and help create jobs, markets Southwest Virginia’s e-Region and its focus on electronic information technology, energy, education, emerging technologies, and entrepreneurship. VCEDA is a unique economic development organization that manages funds for economic development projects from a percentage of the coal and natural gas severance taxes paid by coal and natural gas companies that operate in the region. Located in southwestern Virginia, the region includes Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, and Wise counties and the City of Norton. www.vceda.us or www.e-Region.org.
About the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority Seed Capital Matching Grant Fund: VCEDA region for-profit businesses, within qualifying business categories, one year and under with less than 10 full-time employees are eligible to apply for dollar-for-dollar matching grants up to $10,000 from the VCEDA Seed Capital Matching Fund. Applicants work with the Small Business Development Centers at Mountain Empire and Southwest Virginia community colleges to prepare the applications to VCEDA that include detailed business and financial plans. Businesses must be located in or plan to operate in the VCEDA region in southwestern Virginia that includes Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, and Wise counties and the City of Norton.
(PHOTO CAPTION: Gene Boyd stands with the new dump trailer he purchased in part using funds from a recent $10,000 VCEDA Seed Capital grant to his business, RKB Enterprises, LLC in Buchanan County, VA.)