Recent Articles from Virginia Business
Insurance 2024: ALBERTO SCHIAVON
After earning an MBA at the University of Manchester in England, Schiavon started work at the U.K.’s Admiral Group as an international pricing manager. The Italian executive has led Elephant Insurance, the Admiral Group’s U.S. care insurance segment, since 2017. In a 2023 financial report for the Admiral Group, Schiavon noted that substantial rate increases […]
Nonprofits | Philanthropy 2024: ELIZABETH A. McCLANAHAN
A Buchanan County native, McClanahan has led the Virginia Tech Foundation since 2021. She was previously a state Supreme Court justice and president and dean of the Appalachian School of Law. McClanahan, who fondly recalls attending 4-H Congress on the Virginia Tech campus as a teenager, also serves as a senior adviser to the dean […]
Nonprofits | Philanthropy 2024: JENNIFER MORRIS
Morris has spent nearly 30 years in organizations dedicated to protecting the environment, a passion she developed while teaching in Namibia. She saw how the health of the community she was working with in southwest Africa was impacted by the unhealthy environment. Morris heads a global staff of 4,000 in more than 70 countries and […]
Real Estate 2024: MATT MALONE
Under Malone’s leadership, Groundworks is covering a lot of new ground; as of late June, the water management solutions company already had announced nine acquisitions this year. This year, Groundworks purchased businesses in Seattle, California and Texas, and expanded into Canada with its acquisition of a Calgary basement contractor. The firm’s rapid growth garnered it […]
Retail 2024: KATE MORA
Kroger tapped Mora to lead its mid-Atlantic division in August. She replaced Lori Raya, who retired after holding the role since 2021. Mora joined Kroger in 2022 as vice president on special assignment supporting End-to-End Fresh, an initiative designed to get the freshest food to shoppers. She went on to serve as vice president for […]
Retail 2024: ROBERT S. ‘BOBBY’ UKROP
Ukrop’s family started a Virginia grocery chain in 1937, which became Richmond’s dominant supermarket brand before it was purchased in 2009 by Dutch retail conglomerate Ahold. The family retained its beloved prepared foods and bakery operations under the Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods brand. Its baked goods and ready-to-eat meals were initially exclusively sold at Martin’s, but […]
Retail 2024: JACK WOODFIN
For Woodfin, heating and cooling is a family affair: His parents, John and Anne, started Woodfin Heating in 1977 to sell heating oil, growing it into one of the largest privately held HVAC-related businesses in Virginia. A Virginia Military Institute and University of Virginia Darden School of Business alum, Woodfin began working with his parents […]
Insurance 2024: JOHN C. STANCHINA
Since 2011, Stanchina has led the mid-Atlantic region for Marsh McLennan Agency, which provides business insurance, employee health and benefits, retirement and private client insurance solutions. The region includes offices in Alabama, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Stanchina oversees more than 1,100 colleagues. Stanchina went to work at Rutherfoor[...]
Law 2024: JASON R. DAVIS
Davis became president and CEO of Hampton Roads-based Kaufman & Canoles in April, succeeding William R. Van Buren III, who led the firm for 16 years and is now chairman. The transition took place after an 18-month strategic planning process at Kaufman & Canoles, which has roots dating back to 1919. Davis, who joined Kaufman […]
Agriculture 2024: CORWIN HEATWOLE
Sixth-generation chicken farmer Heatwole started his 100% organic and humane-certified chicken company in 2014. Originally named Shenandoah Valley Organic but rebranded as Farmer Focus in 2020, the company lets farmers own their flocks, receive fair compensation and make key decisions. In August 2023, Farmer Focus announced that Stephen J. Shepard, the company’s president and chief […]