Recent Articles from Katherine Schulte
Site selectors conference coming to Virginia Beach
Area Development magazine will bring its national spring conference for site selection consultants and economic development officials to Hampton Roads. The Area Development Spring Consultants Forum is slated for June 10-12, 2024, at the Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Devoted to corporate site selection and relocation, the magazine typically holds two consultants’ forums annually in diff[...]
2023 Virginia Business Person of the Year: Kristen Cavallo
In 2017, Kristen Cavallo and her son, Matt, then a student on spring break from James Madison University, set out to climb Mount Kilimanjaro with a seven-day window to summit. Statistics from Kilimanjaro National Park, last updated in the 2000s, show a correlation between a route’s duration and success rate: Climbers on seven-day routes have […]
Democrats sweep Va. General Assembly
Democrats regained control of the General Assembly in the Nov. 7 elections, likely putting a damper on Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s legislative agenda and potential 2024 presidential aspirations. Democrats won 21 out of 40 seats in the Virginia State Senate and 51 seats out of 100 in the House of Delegates, which has been held […]
Clean energy development could draw $8.5B in investments
Wise County and neighboring localities may become home to a massive clean energy development that could attract up to $8.25 billion in capital investments, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Nov. 1. An agreement between Wise County, the Energy DELTA Lab and Dallas-based Fortune 100 energy company Energy Transfer aims to develop 65,000 acres of former coal […]
Benchmark Community Bank, parent announce next CEO
Kenbridge-based holding company Benchmark Bankshares and its bank, Benchmark Community Bank, will have a new leader at the start of the new year. Jay A. Stafford, president and CEO of the holding company and CEO of Benchmark Community Bank, will retire Dec. 31. He will also retire from the bank’s and company’s boards of directors, […]
‘Smokeless’ Snoop Dogg ad is Martin Agency creation
Known as much for his love of weed as for his music, celebrity rapper Snoop Dogg posted Thursday on X that he was “giving up smoke,” an announcement that raised eyebrows among some fans, while others figured it must be a marketing ploy. To be blunt, it was the latter, and Richmond’s The Martin Agency […]
Richmond to host 2026 national speech and debate tournament
The Richmond region will host a June 2026 national speech and debate tournament that’s expected to bring 10,000 students and visitors to the region. The National Speech & Debate Association, Richmond Region Tourism and the nonprofit Richmond Forum made the announcement Monday. “I know this will be one of the best tournaments, and I look […]
Carpenter to acquire N.C. foam manufacturer
Richmond-based polyurethane foam manufacturer Carpenter has signed an agreement to acquire North Carolina-based NCFI Polyurethanes’ Consumer Products division, the company announced Wednesday. Carpenter declined to disclose financial terms of the transaction. The NCFI division has about 150 employees, who will join Carpenter’s 6,500-plus employees worldwide. With one location in Mount [...]
Northrop Grumman to establish $200M Waynesboro facility
Falls Church-based Fortune 500 defense contractor Northrop Grumman will invest more than $200 million to establish an advanced electronics manufacturing and testing facility in Waynesboro, creating an estimated 300 jobs over the next five years, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday. “Northrop Grumman’s expanding Virginia footprint sends a powerful message that the commonwealth is a ma[...]
Rockbridge tent manufacturer to expand, add 60 jobs
Natural Bridge-based fabric shelter systems manufacturer XFactor Solutions Global has leased 34,000 square feet to expand in Rockbridge County, with plans to create 60 jobs, Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer announced Thursday. The company, which acquired the assets of Creative Tent International in October, will use the industrial space at 70 Douglas Way in Natural […]