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Norfolk casino hires general manager
Ron Bailey has been selected as vice president and general manager for Norfolk’s forthcoming casino, its operators announced Monday. He most recently was vice president and general manager of the Valley Forge Casino Resort in Pennsylvania, which is owned by Boyd Gaming, a partner in the $750 million Norfolk resort with the Pamunkey Indian Tribe. […]
Trump 2.0 could impact state business climate
For millennials and hipper Gen X-ers, here’s a question: Are you feeling like the “This is fine” dog in the burning kitchen? And for the Boomers, can we offer you the image of a frog sitting in a pot of quickly heating water? Even if neither image makes sense, this much is clear: There’s a […]
Va. Leadership: On the move
B. Marc Allen CEO, Electra.aero, Manassas Allen joined the aviation startup in August 2024, after having served as Boeing’s chief strategy officer and president of Boeing International. A graduate of Princeton University and Yale Law School, Allen clerked for former U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy. He is a private pilot and serves […]
Financial Services: Federal policy, tariffs create economic uncertainty
Economists around the state are still speaking positively about Virginia’s economy — but there’s an elephant in the room. The University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service expects the state’s gross domestic product will increase 2.4% this year, up from 1.9% anticipated for the nation in a Moody’s forecast delivered at the end […]
Economic Development: Shovel-ready sites bring bigger projects to Va.
Site-readiness spending — a priority for Gov. Glenn Youngkin since he took office in 2022 — seemed to truly bear fruit in 2024, especially in Central and Southern Virginia. In Chesterfield County alone, Super Radiator Coils announced plans last year to expand its facility, creating 160 jobs, and Danish electrolyzer manufacturer Topsoe said it will […]
Professional Services: Law firms not ready to jump headfirst into risky tech
Artificial intelligence continues to make headway into most industries, as C-suite professionals test AI-powered tools’ potential for cost savings and efficiency. Some people are even asking whether the speed of AI could finally kill off the billable hour. Not so fast, Siri. Clients often are not fans of the hourly billing model, which averaged $370 […]
UVA Health CEO resigns, effective immediately
Dr. Craig Kent resigned as the CEO of UVA Health on Tuesday, following a closed-session meeting of the University of Virginia Board of Visitors earlier in the day. A letter to UVA Health faculty and staff says that Kent “offered, and President Ryan accepted, his resignation” after the meeting, when board members and President Jim […]
U.Va. board votes to continue gender-affirming care for existing patients under 19
During a Feb. 21 special meeting, the University of Virginia’s board of visitors voted for UVA Health to continue providing gender-affirming treatment to people under 19, but only to current patients. New patients will instead be referred to “alternative private providers” until further notice. Also, the BOV — a 17-member board named by Virginia’s governors […]
Sauer Brands acquired by Boston firm; new CEO named
A Boston private equity company completed its purchase of Richmond-based Sauer Brands, which produces Duke’s Mayo, Sauer spices and other food products, the companies announced Wednesday. With the change in ownership comes a new CEO for Sauer. E. Yuri Hermida, most recently executive vice president and chief growth and strategy officer for alcoholic beverage company […]
U.Va. board to meet over gender-affirming care dispute
The University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors — now controlled by members appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin — has scheduled a Feb. 21 special meeting to discuss UVA Health’s decision to resume gender-affirming medical care for patients under the age of 19. The university-affiliated health system suspended treatments in late January after a federal executive […]
Health Care: New facilities for Virginia’s health systems
For Virginia’s health care landscape, the last 12 months were a time of growth. Some health systems opened new facilities, while others got started on projects designed to serve the patients of tomorrow. Other big news from last year: the summer opening of the Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University, […]
Real Estate and Construction: Stagnant with some silver linings
Realtors slogged through another sluggish market in 2024. Pollyanna types will point out that the commonwealth did see 4,000 more home sales in 2024 than in the previous year, according to Virginia Realtors data. On the other hand, the 102,509 homes that sold in Virginia in 2024 were down 18.8% from 2019 sales. Mortgage rates remained […]
Federal watchdog reverses course, drops Capital One lawsuit
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reversed course Thursday and dropped a federal lawsuit against McLean-headquartered Capital One and its parent company, Capital One Financial, which alleged the companies cheated millions of consumers out of more than $2 billion in interest payments. The U.S. government’s watchdog charged with protecting consumers from financial institutions filed a [...]
Herndon tech distributor names new president
Four Inc., a Herndon distributor of technology products to the government, announced earlier this month that it has named a new president and CEO to replace former leader and co-founder Jeff Nolan, who is now executive vice chair of Four’s board. David Stewart, previously Four’s chief operating officer, began his new role Feb. 5, according […]
BWXT wins $2.1B in U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program contracts
The U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program has awarded BWX Technologies contracts totaling about $2.1 billion, the Lynchburg-based nuclear components and fuel supplier manufacturer announced Wednesday. The contract involves nuclear reactor component manufacturing and material procurement for Columbia and Virginia class submarines and Ford class aircraft carriers. The work will be performed at the B[...]
Capital One, Discover shareholders approve $35.3B acquisition
The proposed $35.3 billion blockbuster acquisition of Discover Financial Services by Capital One Financial has been approved by each company’s shareholders, the credit card giants announced Tuesday. Stockholders representing 85.1% of the total number of outstanding shares of Capital One common stock were in favor of the acquisition at a Tuesday meeting held in McLean. […]
Derivatives exchange to add 33 jobs in Fairfax
Nodal Exchange, a derivatives exchange, will invest $300,000 to expand its Fairfax County operations, adding 33 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday. “Nodal Exchange’s expansion in Fairfax County demonstrates Virginia’s ability to attract and retain global financial technology leaders,” Youngkin stated in a news release. “As North America’s largest [...]
Reports of NoVa housing market’s demise are greatly exaggerated, experts say
“See the rats run,” a Facebook post put up Saturday reads. It’s illustrated with a map purportedly of Arlington County — a map covered with dozens of ovals indicating where houses are on the market. Many of the ovals are labeled “coming soon” or “new.” In the wake of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s […]
Bon Secours plans $370M expansion of Henrico hospital
Bon Secours Mercy Health plans to break ground this summer on a $370 million renovation and expansion of Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital in western Henrico County, the hospital’s president said Friday. “Since the hospital opened in 1966, this is the most transformative project that we’ve taken on,” Bryan Lee said in an interview with […]
Status of federal agency’s lawsuit against Capital One unclear
A lot has happened since Jan. 20, as the Trump White House employs “shock and awe” tactics at lightning speed. Among the consequences is the shutdown of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a government watchdog over private industry. Specifically, the CFPB’s pause in work leaves in question a major federal lawsuit against McLean-headquartered Capital One […]
Philanthropy: Virginians give to higher education, health care
In the last year, philanthropists and foundations in Virginia have made record-breaking donations to higher education institutions and health care systems, with multiple donors continuing their longstanding support for several institutions. Jane Batten, the matriarch of a philanthropic Hampton Roads family, pledged $100 million to William & Mary in July 2024 — the largest gift […]
Education: Va. colleges increase in-demand programs
Virginia’s higher education institutions grew their degree programs and, in some cases, grew physically in the last year as they sought to train students for in-demand and growing fields. In response to an increasing demand for skilled tech workers, Virginia’s universities have expanded their STEM capacities, manifesting in several cases as new buildings. The University […]
Tourism: New attractions open, break ground statewide
Virginia gained several tourism attractions in the last year, from casino resorts to sports facilities, and saw more projects get underway. In 2024, Virginia’s three casinos brought in about $732.2 million in adjusted gaming revenues, up nearly 32% from 2023. Part of that increase can be attributed to the Caesars Virginia casino in Danville, which […]
Fed should be cautious amid uncertainty, Barkin says
Although inflation is coming down, the Federal Reserve Bank should exercise caution amid economic and geopolitical uncertainty, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President and CEO Tom Barkin said Tuesday while addressing a Rotary Club of Richmond meeting. The economy is in a good place, Barkin said, citing the 2.5% growth in the nation’s gross domestic […]
Conn. developer files amended complaint in $40M Diamond District lawsuit
After a Richmond Circuit Court judge dismissed a Connecticut developer’s $40 million lawsuit over the city’s $2.44 billion Diamond District project, the developer has filed an amended complaint with a change in language. Judge Bradley B. Cavedo ruled Jan. 22 in favor of defendants Thalhimer Realty Partners, a subsidiary of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer, […]
Boeing to lay off about 200 workers in megarocket program
Arlington County-based Fortune Global 500 aerospace and defense giant Boeing plans to lay off about 200 employees working on NASA’s Space Launch System program in anticipation of potential program cuts or cancellation. The company previously expected to eliminate about 400 positions in the program by April, according to Bloomberg, but now plans to keep roughly […]
Northrop Grumman receives two contracts totaling $1.4B
Northrop Grumman has received two air and missile defense contracts worth a combined $1.4 billion, the Falls Church-based Fortune 500 government contractor announced last week. The contractor received two contracts from the U.S. Army and Poland. Under the $481 million, five-year contract from the Army’s Aviation Missile Technology Consortium, Northrop Grumman will expand software development [&h[...]
Jan. housing inventory, prices increase in NoVa, Hampton Roads
Housing sales last month increased year-over-year in Northern Virginia but dropped in Hampton Roads, although inventory and sales prices rose in both regions. Northern Virginia Home sales, prices and inventory in Northern Virginia rose year-over-year in January, according to Northern Virginia Association of Realtors data released Tuesday. Last month, 833 homes sold in Northern Virginia, […]
Va. economic outlook is positive, says Weldon Cooper Center forecast
Virginia’s long-term economic outlook is positive, according to the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service’s inaugural economic forecast released Monday. Weldon Cooper economists predict Virginia’s gross domestic product in 2025 will increase 2.4%, outpacing national GDP growth. The U.S. GDP’s growth is expected to be 1.9% this year, slower than the 2.5% [&helli[...]
Playa Hotels & Resorts to be acquired in $2.6B deal with Hyatt
Resorts owner, operator and developer Playa Hotels & Resorts has entered into an agreement to be acquired by an indirect subsidiary of Hyatt Hotels for approximately $2.6 billion, including approximately $900 million in debt, the hospitality companies announced Monday. Playa Hotels & Resorts is a Dutch public limited liability company headquartered in Amsterdam with an […]
100 People to Meet in 2025
In our sixth annual list of 100 Virginians you’ll want to meet in the new year, you’ll encounter interesting people of many ages and occupations — from a doctor in his 80s who built the Chesapeake Care Clinic to a 10-year-old CEO who started his own popcorn business and whose parents are his employees. In […]
Raleigh-to-Richmond rail project gains steam
Preliminary construction is underway for the Richmond-to-Raleigh passenger rail project, an estimated 162-mile route along the defunct CSX Transportation S-Line corridor that will speed up travel between the capitals of North Carolina and Virginia, as well as Washington, D.C., and the Northeast U.S. “We have basically funded work to advance all of the preliminary engineering […]
Petersburg prepares for casino referendum vote
This November, Petersburg voters will decide the fate of a highly anticipated casino development that could transform the city’s struggling economy. If approved, the proposed $1.4 billion Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia project will be built on an undeveloped 100-acre site off Interstate 95, offering easy access to East Coast travelers. “I have worked for […]
Cava opens Verona production and packaging facility
Nearly three years after announcing its initial plans, Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant brand Cava has opened a production and packaging facility in Augusta County’s Mill Place Commerce Park. The company held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the facility in May. The Washington, D.C.-based company invested roughly $35 million to open the 55,000-square-foot facility to help centralize production [...]
U.S. 460 cell towers signal relief to businesses
Buchanan and Tazewell counties’ businesses will soon receive a needed signal boost, thanks to six cell towers under construction across the Route 460 corridor. The towers will increase wireless access along 20 miles of U.S. 460, from Red Ash in Tazewell to Vansant in Buchanan. It’s not a moment too soon, according to businesses that […]
Richmond region scores in sports tourism
With several new and expanded facilities across the region, the greater Richmond area has become an attractive hub for amateur sporting events, bringing in hundreds of thousands of visitors and millions of dollars in added revenue. The region’s amateur sports tourism generated $88.7 million in hospitality-related revenue in fiscal 2023, according to Jerrine Lee, vice […]
Generous Virginians 2024: A heartfelt donation
In philanthropy as in business, Dwight Schar sees the wisdom in doubling down when the stakes — and the impact — of an investment are high. In May 2023, three decades after their initial donation to the organization, Schar and his wife, Martha, made a $75 million matching gift to Falls Church-based Inova Health System. […]
Subs going Down Under
A 2021 agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States should reap benefits in Hampton Roads soon. Dubbed AUKUS for the three participating nations, the international agreement calls for the U.S. and the U.K. to share nuclear propulsion technology with Australia, with the Royal Australian Navy set to acquire at least eight nuclear-powered […]
Australian maritime co. to start sub/shipbuilding school in Hampton Roads
An Australian maritime company announced Tuesday it will set up a submarine and shipbuilding training institution in Norfolk for the short term and will seek a permanent home in Newport News. Quality Maritime Surveyors (QMS), based in the suburbs of Adelaide, Australia, is one of the pioneering companies to take the plunge into Virginia’s waters, […]
The 2024 Virginia Black Business Leaders Awards
This February, during Black History Month, Virginia Business is pleased to honor 17 distinguished leaders from across the commonwealth in our second annual Virginia Black Business Leaders Awards. This year’s cohort of honorees represent industries ranging from advertising, architecture, defense contracting, finance and health care to higher education and nonprofits. Our editors chose this year[...]
Va. Ocean Plan taking shape for 2025
As coastal populations grow and traditional and novel maritime industries increase their use of the Atlantic Ocean, the state government is developing a comprehensive plan to support the coexistence of different uses of the ocean. A group of more than 100 stakeholders — including the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Army Corps of Engineers, […]
A steady breeze
Dominion Energy’s long-anticipated $9.8 billion Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project is steadily taking shape as gigantic monopile foundations are installed in the ocean floor 27 miles off the Virginia Beach coast. This past spring, four years after two test turbines began generating power, Dominion installed the first monopile foundation for the 2.6-gigawatt offshore wind farm’s […]
Amazing race
Virginia is reaping thousands of jobs and huge tax revenues as Amazon.com revamps its U.S. delivery network. The e-commerce giant is opening major distribution centers and sorting facilities across the commonwealth as part of its nationwide strategy to get goods to consumers faster and stay one step ahead of competitors like Walmart and Target that […]
Catch a wave
Updated July 26: Chuck Rigney resigned as economic development director after six months on the job. After three decades recruiting businesses to Norfolk, Portsmouth and Hampton, Charles E. “Chuck” Rigney is tackling a new challenge: leading Virginia Beach’s economic development. Rigney was named the Resort City’s permanent economic development director in February. It was one year [&hell[...]
Rising alarm
Over the years, scientists have warned about sea-level rise, especially in Norfolk, which has the highest rate on the East Coast. “Norfolk is very flat. When you see a small increase in water levels, a wide part of land floods in response,” says Molly Mitchell, a researcher at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, which […]
Digital divide
In a relatively short time, Josh Thomas has seen the Prince William County district he represents in the Virginia House of Delegates transform from farmland and residential neighborhoods to massive buildings filled with the digital infrastructure that stores, processes and distributes huge amounts of information across the global internet, from cloud computing for businesses to […]
Seeing the sites
Despite boasting a world-class port, a highly skilled workforce and easily accessible transportation infrastructures, Hampton Roads perennially comes away empty-handed in attracting large-scale industrial developments. Chalk it up to the region’s lack of shovel-ready sites, a situation that state and local economic development and political leaders are fervently working to change. Last year, the[...]
Hydrogen catches big air in Newport News
Already home to a nascent 176-turbine wind farm off the coast of Virginia Beach, Hampton Roads is expanding its foray into the clean energy industry with the creation of a green hydrogen production facility at Newport News’ Tech Center Research Park. Last spring, the Blacksburg-based Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, which operates the 40-acre park […]
Hazelwood Farms is set to become industrial park
A 328-acre former James City County farm is set to become the largest speculative industrial project along the Interstate 64 corridor between the Port of Virginia and Richmond. Hazelwood Farms was purchased for $12 million in April by Houston-based industrial real estate firm Lovett Industrial, which plans to develop a 2.2 million-square-foot business park on […]
Central Va. Big Deal: Petersburg voters say ‘yes’ to a $1.4 billion casino
Petersburg voters know when to hold ’em and know when to fold ’em. In November 2024, more than 80% of voters approved a casino referendum, giving the green light to Cordish Cos.’ $1.4 billion Live! Casino & Hotel Virginia, which will be built on an undeveloped, roughly 90-acre site off Interstate 95 in Petersburg. Baltimore-based […]
Central Va. Year-in-Review: Region scores in manufacturing, data centers
Central Virginia continued making headway in manufacturing and offices in 2024, as well as seeing increased interest from the data center sector. Growth is still taking place in Northern Virginia, home of Loudoun County’s famous “Data Center Alley,” where 70% of the world’s internet traffic courses, but as companies seek less expensive land for data […]
Henrico launches office buildings incentive program
During the pandemic, the office industry was “hit hard and quick,” says Jane DuFrane, senior vice president and Richmond market leader of Highwoods Properties, the Richmond area’s biggest landlord. But because office lease contracts last several years, “we didn’t feel the pain of COVID until those office leases started to expire,” she says. And that […]
All in good time
For decades, the promise of economic revitalization has tantalized Southwest Virginia. The sparsely populated region, once home to booming coal mining and tobacco industries, has had money and resources thrown at it by local, state and federal governments, but it’s still had a difficult time finding its footing. As the region’s economy has declined, so […]
Beyond number crunching
Becoming a chief financial officer requires much more than just being a good accountant or number cruncher. Indeed, the Journal of Accountancy in 2023 reported a noticeable shift of the top finance officer’s job from being a “CF-No” — or someone who just pulls tight the purse strings — to the “CF-Know.” That’s a leader […]
2024 Virginia Women in Leadership Awards: Leading Ladies
For the fourth annual Women in Leadership Awards, Virginia Business hosted a photo shoot at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, where eight of this year’s winners struck poses for Richmond photographer James Lee. Given the surroundings, Lee took inspiration from the museum’s collection and other artwork in staging the photos. The results display a […]
Watercourse of study
Starting this fall, Old Dominion University students will have a new interdisciplinary school dedicated to maritime work, logistics and supply chain management — an upgrade from an earlier program offered through the Strome College of Business. In September 2023, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) approved ODU’s School of Supply Chain, Logistics, […]
Little fish, big pond
Sometimes all it takes is seeing a child watch a crab crawl across a water table for the first time, Nate Sandel has learned. The director of education and community engagement at Nauticus, Norfolk’s science and maritime museum, Sandel saw the look of awe in a fourth-grade boy’s face as he watched crabs walk right […]
Central Virginia Year-in-Review: Pumping the brakes
During the pandemic, companies began pumping the brakes on expansions out of fear of the unknown. But, using that same car-related analogy, by late 2021, they were flooring it, explains Greater Richmond Partnership President and CEO Jennifer Wakefield. And by 2022, they had kicked it into sport mode. “Now it’s shifted back into normal mode,” […]
100 People to Meet in 2024
Virginia is full of interesting people, and when it comes to this year’s batch of 100 people to meet for 2024, the commonwealth continues to deliver a bevy of fascinating newsmakers, professionals and go-getters worthy of your valuable networking time. In Virginia Business’ fifth annual list of people to meet in the new year, you’ll […]
Shattering the glass ceiling
The COVID-19 pandemic has been unusually difficult for professional women, especially those with young children or other responsibilities, such as caring for older family members. Many had to leave work entirely or put pursuing their career goals on the back burner during the past year while handling personal duties at home. The pandemic’s future impact […]
Va. looks to produce more ‘middle-skilled’ workers
When Tennessee-based Microporous officials visited Virginia in 2022 to scout locations for a new plant, Danville leaders took them to local public schools. That might seem like an unusual field trip, but choosing the right site for a manufacturing operation is not as simple as picking a plot of land anymore, says Julie Brown, vice […]
Northern Va. Year-in-Review: Region looks to tech, bioscience for expansion
The proliferation of data centers in Northern Virginia remains a perennial topic, and while they remained a headline among economic development deals for the region in 2024, they were not the only highlight as parts of the region look to tech and biosciences. Last year started on the coattails of two massive announcements that came […]
StartVA: Va. tech startups lead in fundraising
Before his company opened its Series B funding round last year, Elad Schaffer, co-founder and CEO of Faye, heard from a large venture capital fund. Could he meet with them the next day in San Francisco? It was a 14-hour flight for Schaffer, who lives in Tel Aviv, Israel, but splits his time between there […]
Northern Va. Big Deal: Digital Gateway lawsuits head to appeals court
When the massive Prince William Digital Gateway data center project was approved by county supervisors in December 2023, the project was hailed by some as an economic boon that could support 30,000 new construction jobs and infuse more than $500 million in annual tax revenue in the next two decades. Others saw the project as […]
Eastern Va. Big Deal: Chesapeake’s LS GreenLink plant will have high profile
Soon, the tallest building between Philadelphia and Charlotte, North Carolina, will be located not in an urban center but on the banks of the Elizabeth River in Chesapeake. Groundbreaking is expected to begin as early as March on LS GreenLink USA’s $681 million offshore wind subsea cable manufacturing facility, the first in the United States. […]
Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus launches in Alexandria
Virginia Tech’s Walid Saad was used to traveling between the university’s locations in Arlington and Fairfax counties to meet students and teach classes. Saad, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, works at the intersection of wireless networking and artificial intelligence, including using quantum technology to bridge communication gaps between drones navigating complex environm[...]
Done and Dome — Oceanfront venue to open in May
When Three Dog Night takes the stage May 4 at The Dome, the 1970s rock band will help open a new chapter in live performances at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront that it closed more than three decades ago. Known for hits such as “Joy to the World,” the band was the last group to play […]
Could Boeing HQ move be in the cards?
In May 2022, Virginia officials were in a buoyant mood as Fortune Global 500 aerospace and defense giant Boeing announced it would move its world headquarters from Chicago to Arlington County, with then-President and CEO Dave Calhoun having conferred with Gov. Glenn Youngkin months ahead about the move. Nearly three years later, the mood is […]
Greensville ‘bouncing back’ after Boar’s Head plant closure
Nearly three months after Boar’s Head shut down its Jarratt plant, North Carolina-based Carolina Structural Systems announced Nov. 25 that it would spend $5.5 million to build a manufacturing site for custom trusses and similar products in Greensville County, adding 58 jobs. The county’s economic development director, Natalie Slate, calls the announcement a good start […]
New dockworker strike threat looms for Port of Virginia
Shippers in Hampton Roads are bracing for a renewed dockworker strike in mid-January after contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance stalled in November. More than 45,000 dockworkers walked off their jobs for three days starting Oct. 1 at ports from Maine through Texas, including at the Port of […]
IALR names EVP of operations
Lynchburg’s assistant city manager, John Hughes IV, has been named executive vice president of operations at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville, the institute announced Monday. Hughes started in his new role Thursday. He reports directly to IALR President Telly Tucker and serves as the institute’s chief business and operations officer. “I […]
34 Va. companies make 2022 Fortune 1000 list
Thirty-four Virginia-based companies made Fortune magazine’s 68th annual Fortune 1000 list, which was released Monday. The list ranks the 1,000 largest United States corporations by total revenue, including public companies and private companies for which revenue information is available. Twenty-one companies made the elite Fortune 500 list, including Henrico County-based convenience retail hold[...]
