Recent Articles from Virginia Business
Law: DOUGLAS S. GRANGER
Granger spends his days working through billion-dollar multinational acquisitions with companies in the United Kingdom. He spends his down time volunteering at church or coaching his kids’ sports. Work is a priority, he says. But so is his family and faith. “Life is more fun when you serve others and don’t take yourself too seriously,” […]
Telecommunications: VINCE APRUZZESE JR.
A year after graduating from Georgia State University in 1986, Apruzzese began his career at AT&T. He started in accounts payable, worked in corporate security and then worked his way up to regulatory and external affairs. Apruzzese became AT&T’s Virginia president in 2010, overseeing public policy. He’s also the philanthropic face of the company, which […]
TOP FIVE STORIES AUGUST 2022
The top trending stories on VirginiaBusiness.com from July 15 to Aug. 14 were led by an exclusive update on the Virginia Beach Oceanfront surf park, which is being developed by music icon Pharrell Williams and Venture Realty Group. 1 | A new look at Va. Beach’s Atlantic Park Starting construction in October or November, […]
Living Legends: BRUCE COBB GOTTWALD SR.
Gottwald is the former CEO of NewMarket Corp., the $2.4 billion parent company of Afton Chemical Corp. and Ethyl Corp. NewMarket’s history goes back to 1887 as Albemarle Paper Manufacturing Co., which Gottwald’s father, the late Floyd D. Gottwald Sr., led starting in 1941. Two decades later, he acquired Ethyl in a move that was […]
Energy: JOHN HEWA
For more than 15 years, Hewa has worked for electric cooperatives in Florida, Texas and Virginia. He holds “a deep appreciation for the cooperative business model,” which, unlike a traditional utility, are nonprofits owned by the members they serve. Hewa joined Rappahannock, which serves nearly 172,000 members, in 2017 as vice president and chief operating […]
Federal Contractors/Technology: JOHN S. MENGUCCI
In high school, Mengucci focused on music. He was one of two students from New York state chosen to play in the 1980 McDonald’s All-American High School Band and he also played drums at Carnegie Hall. But his father suggested a more stable career, so Mengucci earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science at Clarkson […]
Hospitality/Tourism: AKHIL JAIN
Since 2010, Jain has been at the helm of Landmark Hotel Group LLC, a hospitality company specializing in the management, ownership and development of hotels. Landmark’s portfolio includes 11 properties, including the new Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott at Virginia Beach’s Town Center. Landmark’s chair is Akhil’s father, Raj Jain, who founded Landmark in […]
Real Estate: STEPHEN BALLARD
Ballard, the company’s founder, has more than 37 years of construction experience and has worked as a project manager, superintendent, estimator, carpenter and laborer. In May, his company raised the first steel beam in the construction of the Rivers Casino Portsmouth as part of a joint venture with Mississippi-based Yates Construction. The $300 million-plus project […]
Real Estate: MARK D. EIN
An investor and entrepreneur, Ein has created, acquired, invested in and built companies across a diverse set of industries. Founded in 1972, Kastle is a provider of building and office security systems. The company may be most recognized lately for the regular reports it releases tracking how many companies have returned to in-person work. At […]
Economic Development: ANTHONY J. ROMANELLO
In 2021, Romanello helped Henrico attract multiple major investments totaling $489 million, including a giant Amazon.com Inc. robotic fulfillment center near Richmond Raceway and expansions of SimpliSafe, Mondelez International Inc. and Red River Foods Groups Inc. This July, QTS Data Centers announced it would be embarking on a 200-acre, 1.5 million-square-foot expansion of its data […]