Recent Articles from Beth JoJack
Burke & Herbert completes merger
Alexandria-based Burke & Herbert Financial Services has completed a merger with West Virginia’s Summit Financial Group, the company announced May 3. The $371.5 million deal, first announced in August 2024, created a bank holding company with more than $8 billion in assets. The combined company will have more than 75 branches across Virginia, West Virginia, […]
Montgomery manufacturer to invest $1.6M to increase capacity
ESS Technologies, which specializes in packaging line design, equipment manufacturing and integration for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetic and consumer packaging goods industries, will invest $1.6 million to increase capacity at a new facility in Montgomery County, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday. The new facility will be located in the former Jeld-Wen building on Scatte[...]
Intelsat to be acquired by SES for $3.1B
McLean-based satellite services provider Intelsat announced Tuesday that it has made a deal to be acquired by SES, a Luxembourg-based competitor, for $3.1 billion in cash. The deal is expected to close during the second half of 2025, depending on regulatory clearances and other factors, according to a news release. Intelsat CEO David Wajsgras will […]
Rock and a hard place
The global shipping industry is currently juggling crises taking place more than 7,000 miles apart: Houthi rebels’ attacks on ships in the Red Sea, and a drought that has slashed ship crossings in the Panama Canal. And those came before the East Coast was hit with additional supply chain stresses following the collapse of Baltimore’s […]
VCU revives Atlanta’s Creative Circus ad school
Editor’s note: The print version of this story in the May 2024 issue of Virginia Business incorrectly reported the amount of Virginia Commonwealth University’s purchase of the Creative Circus. VCU acquired Creative Circus’ branding and intellectual assets from Texas-based Ancora Education for $75,000. The potential bottom line wasn’t the sole motivator behind Virginia Commonwealth [...]
Cashing in
In 2019, a state study forecast that if the General Assembly allowed five casinos to operate in five economically disadvantaged Virginia cities — Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Richmond — that one-third of the revenue generated would stem from out-of-state visitors. In other words, if you build it, casino backers sang out to the commonwealth’s […]
Shenandoah medical marijuana applications due April 30
While working as an occupational therapist, Stewart Bossman injured his back attempting to help a falling patient. That happened almost 25 years ago, but Bossman continues to deal with back pain. “I’ve had four back surgeries and one neck surgery,” he said, “so sometimes it’s just hard to take.” Bossman, 69, buys CBD drops, which […]
Fredericksburg warehouse leased by food bank sells for $2.9M
A warehouse leased by the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank has sold for nearly $3 million. Nellis, a Maryland-based private investment company, purchased the 24,000-square-foot industrial warehouse on 2.89 acres from Fredericksburg-based entity MDC 480 Central for $2.925 million, according to an April 25 news release from Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer. The Fredericksburg Regional Food [&hel[...]
Va. Tech Property Management Advisory Board elects 2025-26 chair
On April 19, Virginia Tech Property Management Advisory Board members elected Renee Pulliam, vice president of operations for Thalhimer Multifamily as its 2024 vice chair and 2025-26 chair, according to Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer. Pulliam, who has been an advisory member since 2001, will serve a one-year term as vice chair followed by a […]
Va. housing market dampens in March
The pace of sales in Virginia’s housing market slowed in March, declining 7.3% over March 2023, according to data released by Virginia Realtors Tuesday. In March, there were 8,075 home sales in the commonwealth, 634 fewer sales than this time last year. At the end of the month, there were 14,950 homes on the market, […]