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Recent Articles from Stephenie Overman
VCU’s business school preps students for AI economy
VCU uses AI in business education and research, preparing students for careers while tackling ethics and energy issues.
New River and Roanoke Valleys see strong economic growth
The New River and Roanoke valleys posted major GDP gains in 2023, with growth fueled by advanced manufacturing, tech innovation, and workforce expansion.
Virginia scores big with booming sports tourism industry
Henrico and other Virginia counties see major economic growth from sports tourism, with events and new venues boosting jobs, tax revenue, and visitors.
Norfolk focuses on cruise and entertainment tourism
The “city surrounded by water” — Norfolk — is going through “an evolution, putting in necessary investments to stay on top of the times” as a tourism destination, says Sean Washington, the city’s director of economic development. The city is expanding its cruise center to accommodate an influx of passengers year-round, has broken ground on […]
Engineering without boundaries
The surging demand for energy. The country’s aging, overwhelmed electrical grid. Threats of cyberattacks. The explosion of interest in — and confusion about — artificial intelligence. These real-life problems don’t know boundaries. Neither should the search for solutions, says Azim Eskandarian, dean of Virginia Commonwealth University‘s College of Engineering. Cross-disciplin[...]
Staying nimble
Cvent’s goal is “getting the friction” out of meeting and event planning, says McNeel Keenan, vice president of product management for the Tysons-based global event marketing and management company. To do that, Cvent offers software products that handle registration, check-in, budgeting, marketing, speaker and exhibitor management for in-person, hybrid and virtual events. Hotels use tool[...]
Growth in the valley
It can take a village — or a valley — to attract a multinational corporation. Shenandoah Valley economic and workforce development officials combined forces to entice Northrop Grumman to locate a 315,000-square-foot advanced electronics manufacturing and testing facility on a 63-acre site in Waynesboro, a project announced in November 2023. Construction of the $200 million-plus […]
Changing of the guard
Retired U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. William G. Kelly covered a lot of ground during his first year as president of Christopher Newport University. “I wanted to commit myself to listen and learn, so I invited students to walk with me at 6:30 a.m. every single Wednesday,” Kelly says, estimating that about 15 students and […]
The retail experience
Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar on Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall entertains its Tea Club members with monthly tastings, while nearby New Dominion Bookshop offers story times and “Friday Night Writes,” an event featuring emerging writers. And about a mile north at McIntire Plaza, outdoor gear and clothing consignment shop High Tor Gear Exchange has hosted outdoor equipment […]
Assembled with care
If you’re trying to visualize what powers manufacturing growth around Roanoke these days, picture 3D-printed helicopter blades and robotics, not old-style grommets. Also known as additive manufacturing, 3D printing produces objects by creating a series of consecutive layers, as opposed to “subtractive” manufacturing, which removes material to carve out an object. Advanced manufacturing c[...]
