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Recent Articles from Don Harrison
Under the radar
Considering that four of the world’s five largest defense contractors are headquartered in Northern Virginia and that Hampton Roads is home to the world’s largest naval base, it isn’t surprising that Virginia was ranked the top state in the nation for defense spending in 2021. But what many observers may not know is that quiet, […]
The ‘wrong inventory’
During the pandemic, consumers wanted things to make them feel comfortable at home — whether it was sweatpants, home décor or the latest fuzzy blanket. But as many workplaces have transitioned to hybrid or in-office work models and people are back to socializing outside the home, products that were over-ordered by companies during the pandemic […]
At max capacity
Supply chain and logistics executives used to joke that no one knew or understood what their jobs were — that is, until the COVID-19 pandemic upended how goods were transported to warehouses and ultimately to customers. “Until you start to look behind the scenes, you don’t know how all of this gets to your door […]
Magical moments
2023 BEST PLACES TO WORK — LARGE EMPLOYERS WINNER The pandemic put a damper on workplace culture, which was particularly difficult for service-oriented organizations like Vaco, a Tennessee-based national staffing and consulting firm with an office in Richmond. Recruiters and salespeople are typically more social and outgoing, so adjusting to a remote — and now […]
Health first
2023 BEST PLACES TO WORK — SMALL EMPLOYERS WINNER SmartEdge IT LLC, a Herndon-based business software development company, places a high premium on employee health and well-being. SmartEdge pays 100% of the premium for its health care package and provides $50,000 life insurance policies for all full-time employees, benefits that start on the day a […]
A balancing act
While there was no way to predict that a global pandemic would disrupt office life as we knew it, one Virginia-based company already had a grip on one trend impacting working professionals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, one in five U.S. households adopted a cat or dog, accounting for about 23 million households, according to a […]
A challenging year
2023 BEST PLACES TO WORK — MIDSIZE EMPLOYERS WINNER The last couple years have been a trying time for many businesses, but probably not for the same reasons as Patriot Group International Inc. When the U.S. Armed Forces withdrew the last troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, ending a 20-year war, the Warrenton-based federal contractor […]
‘Inferiority complex’ no more
As recently as 30 years ago, few people would have imagined that Fairfax County would grow to contain one of the most robust technology ecosystems in the nation, with thousands of tech-fueled firms, fed with workers trained by some of the state’s top universities. Bruce Caswell, president and CEO of McLean-based federal tech contractor Maximus […]
Exceeding expectations
In the greater Richmond region, local economic development authorities have been hard at work landing new business and securing expansions, and this year those efforts bore fruit, they say. In fact, 2022 has outpaced the past two decades, declares Jennifer Wakefield, the Greater Richmond Partnership’s president and CEO, as the region landed two “megaprojects” — […]
Keeping watch
The question of the quarter: Are we entering a recession? One key indicator of a future recession can be inflation, which hit a 40-year high this year. Between June 2021 and June 2022, the consumer price index increased by 9.1%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. One of the first tangible signs for […]
100 People to Meet: Builders
From real estate to global construction projects to major business expansions, these are the professionals who are building Virginia’s future and constructing legacies. Read about the rest of our 100 People to Meet in 2021. Craig Albert President and chief operating officer, Bechtel Corp. Reston In September, Craig Albert stepped up to fill the gap […]
Pandemic puts Martinsville Speedway on slower track
Over Halloween weekend, Martinsville Speedway welcomed fans back to NASCAR Cup Series races for the first time since the pandemic began. However, occupancy was limited to 1,000 people for a race series that normally attracts more than 40,000 fans. And for some area businesses that depend on race fan dollars, the limited-attendance event was a […]
100 People to Meet: Public Faces
From educating Virginians about the offshore wind industry to shepherding $400 million casino resorts across the finish line, these are the people who add to the commonwealth’s conversation and lend a face to ambitious undertakings. Read about the rest of our 100 People to Meet in 2021. B. Hayes Framme Senior manager, government relations […]
100 People to Meet: Innovators
Representing sectors ranging from data analysis to pharmaceuticals to fashion, these visionary trendsetters keep the Old Dominion from getting stale. Read about the rest of our 100 People to Meet in 2021. Jason Crabtree Co-founder and CEO, Qomplx Inc. Tysons Growing up in Seattle, Jason Crabtree was more likely to be found raising and showing […]
100 People to Meet: Educators
Ranked as CNBC’s Top State for Business in 2019, Virginia earned the distinction in part for its “wealth of colleges and universities,” lauded by CNBC as the nation’s best. These are some of the educators and administrators who are helping to preserve and grow that reputation. Read about the rest of our 100 People to […]
Chips on the table
On Election Day, Norfolk and Portsmouth voters will decide whether to hold ’em or fold ’em. The two Hampton Roads cities will consider separate Nov. 3 ballot referendums on large casino projects that promise jobs, tax revenue, increased area tourism and funds for school construction. “It’s new for Virginia, for sure,” says Jay Smith, spokesman […]
Festivals hit pause
The Hampton Roads region is known for its popular festivals, from Virginia Beach’s Pungo Strawberry Festival and Suffolk Peanut Fest to the Virginia Arts Festival and the star-studded Something in the Water. “We’ve got more festivals than Nero had,” says Kurt Krause, president and CEO of VisitNorfolk. For Norfolk alone, tourism means more than $887 […]
Hail to the … what now?
Under pressure from FedEx and other big sponsors, the Washington Redskins management announced in July that the NFL team will retire its name and mascot and rebrand itself away from divisive Native American imagery. The $3.4 billion organization, the seventh-most valuable franchise in the NFL, is now known as the “Washington Football Team,” with a […]
Delay of game
The COVID-19 pandemic has paralyzed one of Virginia’s growing economic drivers: sports tourism. But even amid mass cancellations and lost revenue, tourism officials hold out hope that, for the sports sector at least, there can be recovery. “Over the years, sports tournaments and competitions have generally been recession-resilient,” says Joni Johnson, director of sales at […]
A good walk improved
The course at Kinloch Golf Club unfolds and reveals itself like an epic novel. Over the course of 19 holes — yes, 19 — its spectacular, elevated terrain clashes dramatically with its diabolical sporting challenges. “Kinloch is wonderful,” says noted course designer Rees Jones, who has designed or restored more than 260 courses around the […]
Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council names new executive director
Erin Burcham, the Roanoke Regional Partnership’s director of talent solutions, is leaving the economic development group to become executive director of the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council. The tech council noted Burcham’s experience in talent and workforce development. About a year ago, the tech council started working with the Valleys Innovation Council and the Regional Acceler[...]
Richmond Region Tourism program incentivizes hotel meetings
After a year of virtual events and canceled conventions, Richmond Region Tourism has launched a program to attract meetings to Virginia’s capital city and surrounding areas in four key economic development sectors. The initiative, called Meaningful Meetings, also offers financial incentives from $250 to $1,000 to people and organizations who successfully refer such events. The […]
Hospitality association launches free online training
A workforce training program launched Monday to help restaurant and hotel workers, the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association announced. The program offers free training for people who are employed, out of work or underemployed from the National Restaurant Association and the American Hotel & Lodging Association Educational Institute. Training is available to residents of [&hell[...]
Perspecta, now under Peraton, lands $473.8 million agreement
The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded a potential five-year transaction agreement valued at $473.8 million to Perspecta Enterprise Solutions LLC, now part of Herndon-based national security contractor Peraton Inc. The work supports the development of a comprehensive IT system to manage background investigations and security clearances for federal employees and contractors, according to last [[...]
Virginia Beach office building sells for $1.9M
Commonwealth Park Executive Center in Virginia Beach has sold for $1.9 million, Colliers announced Thursday. The Class B, two-story building located at 900 Commonwealth Place once housed the WCMS radio studios and currently is 100% occupied. It was built in 1975. The building has 20,180 rentable square feet leased to five tenants, including Commonwealth Park […]
Coming attractions: 8 Regal theaters reopening in Va. this Friday
Just in time for the premiere of “Those Who Wish Me Dead,” Friday will mark the opening of eight Regal movie theaters across Virginia, part of a nationwide partial reopening of the cinema chain. Although some states have had multiple Regal multiplexes open since April, Virginia had only two open as of Thursday, in Springfield […]
Offshore wind coworking space opens in Norfolk
The growing offshore wind industry in Hampton Roads caught another gust Wednesday with the opening of a coworking and networking space in Norfolk’s World Trade Center. The hub, called the Virginia Offshore Wind Landing — or the Landing, for short — is a joint venture of Old Dominion University’s OpenSeas Technology Innovation Hub, the Hampton […]
Workforce development center opening in downtown Portsmouth
Portsmouth Economic Development is opening a brick-and-mortar resource Friday, aiming to create a public and accessible hub for skills training, career fairs, job applications and Internet access. The 2,000-square-foot office space, called Portsmouth@Work Center, is located in a suite at its downtown headquarters, 200 High St. The idea has been brewing since the fall 2019, […]
Strategic Alliance Solutions awarded potential $215M MDA contract
Fairfax-based Strategic Alliance Solutions LLC has won a three-year contract from the Missile Defense Agency for a potential $215.59 million, the Department of Defense announced Monday. The contract, which has a three-year base value of $51.42 million, covers warfighter operational integration advisory and assistance services. In fiscal year 2021, the company will receive $5,675,000 for […]
Kongsberg wins Army contract extension worth $499M
The U.S. Army has awarded a $499.17 million contract modification to weapon stations provider Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS, a Norwegian company with its U.S. headquarters based in Alexandria. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, the U.S. Department of Defense announced, estimating completion in September 2023. The contract for production, system […]
