Recent Articles from Elizabeth Lake
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,” […]
Central Va. Big Deal: Renaissance times
Henrico County’s near West End is seeing a renaissance. For decades, the area bordering Richmond around the Willow Lawn neighborhood has been home to mostly defunct commercial projects and old homes. But a $450 million project announced in December 2023 to renovate an old Elevance Health (formerly Anthem) campus promises to bring a “transformation” to […]
2024 BEST PLACES TO WORK — LARGE EMPLOYERS WINNER: Patriot Group
In the past five years, Patriot Group International has been recognized four times as the Best Place to Work among large employers in Virginia, but that doesn’t keep company leadership from wanting to do more and do better by its employees. Participation in Best Places to Work “provides us with great insight on some of […]
2024 BEST PLACES TO WORK — SMALL EMPLOYERS WINNER: Troika Solutions
“Partners, process, technology” is the tagline of Reston-based management and technology consulting firm Troika Solutions. In addition to valuing its partnerships with its military and government clients, this service– disabled veteran-owned small business has a keen focus on its partnership with its employees, says the company’s president and CEO, Kenneth Lasure. That’s “becau[...]
2024 BEST PLACES TO WORK — MIDSIZE EMPLOYERS WINNER: Sriven Technologies
A lot of companies like to say they have a familylike atmosphere, but few seem as close as Ashburn-based Sriven Technologies, which has twice topped Virginia Business’ Best Places to Work small companies’ rankings, and this year leads the rankings of midsize employers for the first time. Sriven’s employees are so chummy with the company’s […]